The Alchemist and the Zodiac
by Primi-tan
Summary: When Ed is trapped on the other side, he finds himself part of the Sohma life of drama, fun, and romance. This is my first fanfic. Flames are allowed, but please go easy on me. Chapter 16 UP! R&R please! Rated T for swearing.
1. To The Other Side

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sama and Hiromu Arakawa-sama. Plot belongs to me.

_**Timeline:**_ Right after the Fullmetal Alchemist anime series ends, only Conqueror of Shamballa never takes place. This will also be towards the middle of Tohru's, Kyo's, and Yuki's second year in high school.

_**Authors Notes:**_ First off I would like to say: Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for taking time out of your day to read this. Title's not that good, I know, but it will remain this way until I come up with a better one. Thanks to my little brother for the idea. Suggestions are welcome. This is also my first fanfic, so please go easy on me if you have something harsh to say. My brother will probably be helping me out here and there so I'll be sure to give him some credit. I apologize to anyone if by some mere coincidence I end up stealing one of their original ideas. So enjoy and again thank you for taking the time to read this.

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Chapter 1

To The Other Side

**Below Central City…**

All was quiet in the great ball room. No noise was made by any living creature, and no living creature was even down there, save for one. A lone figure standing in the middle of a circle of complex markings and symbols. He was a young, muscular boy with long blond hair tied in a braid. On his chest, arms, and forehead were similar circles. He simply stood there, contemplating.

Then, without warning, he clapped his hands together, and placed them on his chest. The pattern of circles on him began to glow, as well as the one at his feet. He knew what he was doing was going to result in his death, but he was willing to give up everything for the one he had lost; his brother.

When he opened his eyes again he was in a pure, white space, with nothing as far as the eye could see, except for the massive stone door. It began to open with a creak, and the space beyond it was black. Eyes peered out at him from the other side.

Small little flesh colored rectangles began to leak out from it. They formed feet, then legs, then a body, and then arms, and finally a head with sandy hair. The boy that suddenly formed was unconscious but very much alive. His brother stepped up to him and patted him on the head.

"You'll be just fine without me Al," he said in a calm voice. "Take care of the others for me, okay?" He knew he couldn't hear him, but it was still nice to see Al healthy and alive again. And now for his payment.

Edward walked slowly to the door, where the eyes stared at him patiently. Long black hands reached out for him, and began to tug him into the door. Knowing this was the end, he sent one last message to his brother, only with his mind.

"_I have no regrets about giving myself up for you,"_ He thought. _"This punishment was always mine to bear. Farewell everyone."_ And with that, he embraced the black darkness that swallowed him, and waited for the numbness of death.

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**Japan, Shigure Sohma's house…**

"SHIGURE!!!!!!" A voice filled with annoyance and anger rang throughout the house, frightening away the birds perched in the trees surrounding it. The dark haired novelist looked up from his work, replacing his look of satisfaction and mischief with one of innocence. The door flew open, and a guy with vivid orange hair with a look of fury on his face stood steaming at it's entrance.

"What the hell happened to the rest of the leftovers?!" Kyo shouted at his face "I'm starving, and all we have left are those stupid leeks!"

"Whatever are you talking abut Kyo?" Shigure said in an all-to sweet voice. "Do I not have a right to help myself to my own fridge? Tohru's out shopping so you'll have to wait 'till she get's back."

"Don't we have anything left? I haven't even had breakfast!" as if to answer his question, Kyo's stomach gave a very audible growl.

"Well, the early bird gets the worm." Yuki said matter-of-factly as he walked by. "It's already a quarter 'till one. This habit of sleeping of yours, despite what Shishou-sama said, has finally come flying back to you, you stupid cat."

Those final two words set Kyo on fire. He charged right at Yuki, screaming, "I'M 'GONNA KILL YOU Ya'…damn…rat…" Kyo's stomach growled again, and this time it hurt. He fell on the floor, exhausted from his earlier fight with Shigure. "Please hurry back, Tohru…" he moaned. At that very moment she walked in carrying huge grocery bags.

"I'm home everyone." She said gleefully. Then she looked rather shocked to see Kyo sprawled on the floor, seemingly dead. She started to panic.

"AAHH!! Kyo-kun!! Wh-what happened!? Is he sick? Is he hurt? What'll we do?!" Poor Tohru started running around in a circle, her hands in the air.

"Now now, Tohru-san." Shigure said reassuringly. "He merely collapsed from hunger from not eating breakfast. Come to think of it, why don't we all eat something." He let out a mischievous chuckle." A refreshment of my future house wife 's succulent coo-" Shigure never finished his sentence, for he was hit in the head by two flying fists coming from different directions. Both members of the Zodiac gave the poor dog rather dark looks that could make a bear shake in it's tracks.

"Kidding! I'm only kidding you two! Now let's all settle down and eat something."

"Umm….sure…." The kind brunette was still a little shaken from Yuki and Kyo's sudden attack, but managed to calm herself down. "Now then, Kyo-kun, what would you like?" She asked him.

Upon seeing the gentle smile he loved so much, Kyo stopped fuming in an instant. He got up from the floor.

"Some stew would be nice." He muttered, his face turning redder than a tomato. Tohru nodded.

"Yuki-kun, Shigure-san, any requests?" She looked at the others, who thought about it for a moment.

"I'm in the mood for curry, and a few Onigiri as a side dish sounds nice as well." Yuki replied, "With pickled radish inside."

"How 'bought an omelet?" Shigure asked "Though I really don't care what you make, so long as you pour your love into it!" Shigure retreated into his room and shut the door before Yuki or Kyo could retaliate. "Call me when it's ready!" His sounded muffled by the door.

Kyo was very tempted to just break the door down, but resisted, seeing as Tohru needed help with the bags of food. He snatched one up and stormed off to the kitchen. Yuki picked up the rest.

"I'm sorry Honda-san. I should've come with you." He felt guilty. "It must've been hard carrying all these bags here."

"Oh no, it wasn't that hard." She protested "And the store isn't all that far away from here, so don't worry about it, alright?"

"Okay." He replied. There was no sense in arguing with her. He then got an idea. "Why not invite Haru and Momiji? They don't have anything to do today, so why not invite them for lunch?"

Tohru's eyes lit up. "Sure, that would be wonderful!" She and Yuki walked into the kitchen to put the groceries away, and then Tohru began to think of how lucky she was.

Ever since her mom died it had been a tough ordeal for her, Uo-chan and Hana-chan. Thanks to the Sohma family she had been able to get past all that trauma. Sure there was an ancient curse and she couldn't hug her friends(At the knowledge that they turned into one of the Zodiac animals every time they were hugged by the opposite sex, Kyo turning into the cat left out of the Zodiac) and maybe there was some tension between her, Isuzu-san, and Akito-san. But despite all this life was good, her grades were up, and things couldn't possibly get any stranger.

She was dead wrong.

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**Later that evening…**

"Whew, how do you keep winning at this Haru?" Yuki asked. "That's the fifth time tonight."

Haru and Momijii ended up staying for dinner as well. After lunch Haru and Kyo started sparring to keep in shape. Then it started to rain. Kyo, being the cat, simply stopped fighting with him and fled into the house. Haru and Momijii stayed considering that they couldn't go home now. And so they all started playing card games. Haru was a prodigy, and wiped the floor with everyone in the room.

"Stupid cow" Yelled Kyo who, once again, lost to the carefree teen. "You're cheating, I know it!!"

"I'm simply following the rules. It is you who is cheating." He replied calmly. "I win, now give me a cookie."

"I want a cookie too!" Momiji shouted happily. "Tohru, can we make some for dessert? Kyo gets to bake them 'cause he lost."

"No, I can do it myself." She replied.

"Stop pestering her!" He then proceeded to whack him on the head. His glare the rested on Haru. "You damn cow! You're cheating and you…" To Tohru the argument faded into the background. She was distracted by something outside. A flash of blue light over the treetops. At first Tohru shrugged it off a lightning, but then it flashed again. However, before she could get up to see what it was, Shigure, Momiji, and Yuki suddenly grabbed her and pulled her away from the table.

Which was wise, because Hatsuharu had just snapped. They were pulling her out of firing range. His acquired target was Kyo.

"You really think that you're all that?" His voice was dangerously low and calm. "Well, I got news for you…" He stood up. "I'M 'GONNA KICK YOUR SORRY ASS!!!!!" And with that he leaped across the table, his hands aiming for Kyo's neck, who leaped out the way just in time.

"You want a piece of me?!" Kyo charged back, and within seconds the pair of them were grappling with each other. Yuki pulled Tohru farther away and watched them. Shigure had tears in his eyes.

"I just know that the entire world is completely bent on demolishing my house." He looked at the ceiling. "Why me?"

"Calm down, Shigure-san." Yuki sounded reassuring. "Remember the 'you break it, you buy it' rule."

"I bet Kyo's 'gonna win!" Momiji said happily, as if there weren't two boys in front of him trying to kill one another." He's been training with Kazuma-san longer."

"That maybe so," Shigure added, "but remember when Haru-" at that moment the lights went out.

"DARK! VERY DARK!!!" Momiji yelled. "Tohru protect me!" He jumped into Tohru's arms, there was a loud POP, and when the dust cleared, instead of a small, blonde boy cuddling with Tohru, was a cute rabbit. Tohru just kept stuttering.

"Nobody move!" Shigure announced to the whole room. "I don't want anybody else bumping into Tohru and transforming. So let's all stay calm!" He was fortunate that Haru had shifted out of Black mode the second the blackout started. "I'm certain that it's lighting causing this, so we just have to wait 'till the lights come back. I'm certain I have a few flashlights somewhere in the kitchen." Tohru heard him get up and walked in the direction of the kitchen.

"So what do we want to do now?" Haru's voice was calm and quiet.

"We can continue to play our game." Yuki suggested. "And then watch a movie when the lights come back on."

Whether it was fate our sheer coincidence, Tohru looked out the window again. For a few seconds it was quiet and dark, then the blue light shined again, flashing on and off frequently.

"Uh…guys?" the scared orphan started shaking, "Is anybody besides me seeing this?" She pointed in the direction of the blue light, which proceeded to continue flashing. Everyone, including Shigure, carrying armloads of flashlights, stared at the spectacle.

"Aliens!" the rabbit screamed. "We're under attack!" He leaped out of Tohru's arms and ran for the corner of the room, at the same time changing back into human form. No one really noticed him, they were too shocked by his words. Even Yuki looked unnerved.

There was dead silence for another minute until Kyo whispered, "Is it possible?" His voice quavered.

"There's only one way to find out." Haru stood up, snatched a light from Shigure, and went to get a coat. "And Momiji, put your clothes back on."

"Are you crazy?" Yuki yelled. "We don't even know what it is!"

"Well, if you cowards don't want to go outside, I'll just take Tohru and Shigure with me." The Zodiac ox grabbed Tohru by the arm and gave her a jacket. "Unless you want to protect her."

Kyo hesitated for a moment, then silently walked to the closet to get his coat. He then turned to Yuki. "What's the matter 'ya damn rat, too chicken to face the unknown?" he jeered.

Yuki looked furious, and quite tempted to attack his rival, but the flashing got brighter, and curiosity got the better of him. A few seconds later Momiji, who was fully dressed, joined as well, as well as Shigure. They walked outside slowly, and the light seemed to get more and more ominous.

"I can't believe I'm out rain searching for aliens." Kyo muttered under his breath. It really was pouring sheets of rain on the group, but the air was warm.

"W-w-w-what d-do we d-do if it re-really is a-an alien?" Tohru looked absolutely terrified. She was still shaking even as they walked into the woods.

"Honda-san, don't worry." Yuki replied "I won't let them harm you. You can go back to the house if you want to."

"N-no, no. I'm f-fine." The poor girl looked anything BUT fine.

"Let's make peace with them, and invite them for cookies." Momiji said. "That way, we can be the first human beings to make contact with them!"

"But what if cookies are poisonous to them?" She asked. "And they see us as a threat?"

"Both of you be quiet!" Kyo was getting tired of the theories. "We don't know if it's an alien yet! It could be some sort of scientific test, or a rescue flair or…a…giant…" His voice failed him. They had found the source of the light. It was a big circle, with markings and symbols snaking all over it. The lines were glowing blue, with blue sparks of energy occasionally flying out.

"Wow…" Shigure whispered. Daringly, Haru walked up and placed his hand on it. The chaos then started.

A whirlwind of energy swirled around them. Sparks shot out in different directions, and the group was trapped in the tornado. Haru leaped backwards and nearly knocked over Kyo.

"What the hell did you do you idiot?" Yuki yelled. They all looked up at the sky, expecting a giant ship to be descending from the sky. There was nothing.

"I didn't do anything!" Hatsuharu could barely be heard above the chaotic turbulence. At that exact moment a hole open up in the air, shimmering. Everyone backed away, only to freeze in shock. A human hand was reaching out from the hole.

It continued to reach forward, until a head covered in long, blonde emerged. He struggled out for obvious reasons; long, black hands tried to pull him back in. The boy, who looked no older then 13, pushed on until he was out. The circle vanished a moment after he made it, and everything was silent except for the pitter-patter of rain and his screams of agony. His right arm and left leg were gone, and blood gushed from the wounds. The group could only stare, until Shigure turned and ran back to the house.

"I'll call Hatori!" He shouted over his shoulder. "Stop the bleeding!" Everyone stood still for a second, their brains struggling to process this, and then Tohru rushed forward, tore off her jacket, and pressed it against his bleeding arm. By now his screams turned into moans of pain.

Her movement stirred the others into action. Momiji and Yuki ran back to the house to get medical supplies, Haru wrapped his coat on his bare shoulders (He was wearing nothing but pants and one shoe) while Kyo ripped off the pant-leg that covered his bleeding stumped, and tied his shirt around it.

"You're going to be fine" Tohru muttered, more to herself then the strange boy she was helping. She was having flashbacks about the day her mother died. Tears began to fall. "You're going to live…"

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Pain. That was all Ed could feel could feel. His entire body was on fire, particularly in the area were he had first lost his arm and leg.

"_If this is hell, then I'll take it."_ He decided to open his eyes and see what it looked like. But it wasn't hell. He was in a forest, there was a vague sound he distinguished as shouting, and the smell of blood was in the air. Rain fell on him and soaked him to the bone. A few seconds later someone began to attended to his wounds. It sounded like a woman, for the voice speaking to him was reassuring and gentle, not to mention the panicky tone that seemed to be driving her to verge of insanity. Someone put a coat over his shoulder, and more pressure was applied to his arm and leg.

"_Damn it."_ He thought. _"I'm alive… so that means that Al…"_ he didn't want to think about. He looked at his saviors. One was a boy with bright orange hair, and red eyes. He was tending to his stump of a leg. _"Is he Ishbalan?"_ It was one of the questions that just passed through his mind. The next one had white hair, with some black at the base of his skull. The third was the female with long brown hair and blue eyes, who was pressing a coat against his mutilated shoulder. Those bright blue eyes were filled to the brim with tears

"Who are you?" She whispered. The two others looked up at the sound of her voice. Ed wasn't sure if was should respond, but he did.

"Edward. Edward Elric" that was all he could say before he passed out.

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_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ How's that for a cliff-hanger? I both love them and hate them!

_**Shigure:**_ Not bad. But why didn't you let me kiss Tohru goodbye as I sped back towards the house?

_**Yuki and Kyo:**_ SHUT UP YOU DUMB DOG!!! *Twack*

_**Shigure:**_ Owwee.

_**Alphonse:**_ When am I 'gonna show up again?

_**Edward:**_ Yeah!

_**Primitiveradiogoddess: Sorry Al, your not going to show up much in this one. And now to work on my book report. R&R please, and if you have anything bad to say, please try to tone it down. *Seals self in room to work***_


	2. In Our Care

_**Authors Notes:**_*Uses light-saber to cut down door and get self out of room* I'm back, and thanks for all the reviews! They fired me up, spurred me to finish the book report, and helped clear that hurtle! Thanks to all!*Sniff* I feel so flattered by all the wonderful reviews you all have written! In other news: Three weeks left of school! WHOO!!! Me and my bro are now in the end zone! Again, thank you for the reviews and good luck to those who are about to start the summer! Now back to the story!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sama and Hiromu Arakawa-sama. Plot belongs to me.

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Chapter 2

In Our Care

**Shigure Sohma's house, 1:00 A.M…**

"His condition is stable, the bleeding has stopped, and he's finally fallen completely asleep. The poor thing has a fever, though. However, I'm more intrigued by how he lost his limbs, and you guys not finding them lying around." Hatori walked down the stairs. "It's a completely clean cut. If he had them cut off there would be ragged marks." The Zodiac dragon shook his head. "But never mind that. How did you come across him?"

Haru had carried the stranger, or Edward, back to the house and laid him out on a futon in a spare room. Hatori had arrived shortly afterward, and found them desperately trying to stop him from thrashing around in pain, despite the fact he was unconscious. Hatori stepped in, and all the while he had been treating his wounds, the boy had been moaning for someone, though he couldn't make out the words. Finally, by the time the dragon had finished bandaging him up, he quit his moaning settled into a fitful sleep.

The others were waiting out in the living room, either lounging about or (in Tohru's case) pacing up and down the hallway. None of them said anything. The lights had come back on after the circle disappeared, so that lead Shigure to believe that the circle was the cause of the blackout. They came out of the tense stupor as the doctor entered the room. Yuki was the first to speak.

"You wouldn't believe us even if we told you." He muttered. "I still don't believe it, even though I had a front row seat."

Hatori was quiet for a few more seconds, then said, "This wouldn't have anything to do with those flashing blue lights I saw outside about 3 hours ago." They all looked up in surprise. Hatori shrugged. "Yes, I could even see it in the distance from the main house. Akito had a cold again, so I was up late treating him. He fell back to sleep, and then I noticed the flashes. I thought it was intense lighting at first, but they kept going. Five minutes after they stopped, Shigure calls ranting about 'lost limbs', and 'blood', and something about a hole in the air. And here I am now." He gazed expectantly at all of them. Silence followed the end of his story. Momiji broke it.

"…Hari, I'm not sure how to put this…" The rabbit was not his usual lively self. "He did come out of a hole in the air. We all saw the flashing lights and went out to investigate. We found out that the source of the light was coming from this giant circle in the ground. Haru went up and touched it, there was a huge whirlwind, this big hole appeared, and he came out, his limbs gone. There were these long, black, snake-like hands trying to pull him back in, but he made it out. Strange though, the bleeding didn't start 'till after the circle vanished." Momiji fell silent again.

"Is that what happened?" He looked at Yuki, who nodded. Hatori sighed, yawned, and smiled slightly. "Guess I had to be there then." Everyone looked surprised.

"You actually believe us?" Kyo asked. Hatori just nodded, then turned to Momiji and Hatsuharu.

"You two need to go to bed. You have the day off tomorrow, so I'll bring you along when I come back to check on him. Hopefully he'll be awake and able to tell us his side of the story by then." Hatori looked at Shigure. "Keep him here for a while. If we can't find his home, then he'll need a place to stay. All of you go to sleep. Especially you Tohru-san, you just got over that cold and you look dead on your feet." She did indeed, but still protested.

"I'm alright Hatori-san…" Her voice sounded weary but her eyes still shown with strength. It was likely that same strength came from her mother. "Maybe I should go check on him." Tohru turned to walk up the stairs, but Yuki got there first.

"Honda-san, you really should go to bed." She tried to get past him but he held her back. "You got up early this morning to get us all that food, and it's 1:00 A.M." Despite her tiredness, she still tried to get past.

"Can I at least cool his fever?" She gave him a pleading look, and Yuki could no longer protest. He sighed.

"All right, if you say so."

She bade goodbye to Momiji, Hatsuharu, and Hatori as they got in the car. The rain had eased to a drizzle, and the moon was showing through the thin clouds. Tohru came back inside to find Kyo waiting for her at the door with a bowl of cold water, an ice pack, and a water bottle.

"Come on," He beckoned. "This water's not getting any colder. And could you grab those washcloths, please?" He turned and started up the stairs. Tohru went to the table, picked them up, and followed the Zodiac cat.

"Where are Yuki-kun and Shigure-san?" She asked.

"Both of them passed out," Kyo sighed in exasperation. "Damn rat can't stay awake to save his life. They told me they were leaving him in your hands now, then went to bed." Kyo opened the door to the guest room.

There he lay, in the middle of the room under thick blankets. Now that he wasn't soaked in rain and blood or thrashing about, the twosome could get a good look at him. He had long, blonde hair that went below his shoulders, and was tied back into a thick braid. His bangs reached his chin, which nearly hid the beads of sweat running down his face from his fever. They trickled down his cheeks, which was dotted with dried blood. Both of them recalled his eyes being a stunning gold, even though they were dull with pain and sadness. His breathing was ragged and labored; it sounded like each breath was grating the sides of his throat. Despite his temperature being 103 F and covered with heavy sheets, he was shivering violently. Kyo knelt down beside him.

"What did he say his name was?" He asked, pulling the blankets off his chest. The boy was quite muscular, even with a missing arm. Tohru thought for a moment before responding.

"I think his name was Edward Elric, but that was all he said before he passed out."

"Yet he still had the strength to nearly throw his fist into Haru's face during that spasm of his." Kyo chuckled. " I remember after he passed out, you started panicking cause' you thought he died right there." Tohru turned red out of embarrassment, and began to occupy herself with washing Edward's face.

They kept at this pace for a while, cleaning the blood stains and cooling him off with the ice pack until his shivering stopped. His breathing eased a little as well. The silence ensued before Kyo finally asked, "Why were you crying earlier?"

Tohru tensed a little, and slowly turned to face him. "What do you mean?" Her voice was a little edgy.

"When we first started to help him when he appeared, you started crying, why?" He faced her unflinchingly.

Tohru didn't answer for a moment. "…I was remembering the day mom died…" She finally whispered. "When I first saw her at the hospital, covered in bandages and blood, it felt like my entire world shattered." Tears began to pour from her eyes again. "I saw him that way for a moment, and I became so scared I didn't what to do." Her voice broke on that last word, and sobs began to shake her shoulders. Kyo rubbed her on the back reassuringly, until her shudders ceased and she was able to dry her tears. "I-I'm s-s-sorry, I d-didn't mean to just-"

"Your mothers death was not your fault, Tohru." Kyo interrupted. He reached for her eyes and dried the remaining tears. "You have nothing to be sorry for, okay?"

She sniffed a little. "Thank you, Kyo-kun." She pressed her head against his shoulder. Kyo blushed but said nothing. They then heard the stranger's breathing get heavier. A groan escaped from his lips. Both of them turned in shock.

"Is he OK?" Tohru got scared again. She started to back away when the boy spoke, his voice low and laced with effort.

"So…thirsty…" it was all he managed in his rasping voice, before he started groaning again.

Kyo reached for the bottle and turned to Tohru. "Help me prop him up."

Tohru placed his head on her lap, while Kyo opened the water bottle and placed it on his mouth, trying to coax him into taking a drink. Edward didn't react until Kyo tipped it up a little. As the water brushed against his lips, the boy managed to take a sip. Just a bit at the start, but then he began to chug it down quickly until 2/3's of the bottle was gone. He then stopped and fell back to sleep, his breathing more even then before. Kyo and Tohru sat quietly for a minute, watching him, then Tohru broke out in giggles.

"What's so funny?" Kyo asked. Tohru needed a moment to control herself before replying.

"It must look like we're parents taking care of their sick child when he has a fever." She laughed.

Kyo had a bit of a hallucination right there. Him and Tohru sitting on a porch, a small, brown haired girl in their lap. He shook his head before the vision could continue. He must be tired to be imagining things like that. Tohru began giggling again.

"You're sleep deprived, Tohru, and it's making you giddy." He scolded gently. "It's 2:30, now off to bed with you." Tohru managed to control herself after he said that. She placed the ice pack on the boy's head and helped Kyo to his feet. They went to their rooms, and quickly fell asleep.

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**Shigure Sohma's House, 11:00 A.M…**

Tohru woke up around 11:00 and started making brunch. Not surprisingly, the others were still asleep. It had been a rough night for all of them. Shigure was the first one up, clearly awoken by the scent of cooking food. He walked down the steps in a daze, entranced by the smell of cooking eggs.

"Ah Tohru," He put an arm around shoulder as she scrambled eggs. "My wonderful housekeeper. you never cease to amaze me with the most delicious foods that has ever had the honor to enter my mouth. I bet in a past life you cooked for the gods and they bestowed-" Shigure stopped talking after feeling two murderous auras flare up behind him.

"What were you just saying?" Both Kyo and Yuki said threateningly.

"Nothing…nothing at all…" Shigure backed off. "I was just complementing Tohru's cooking."

They were just sitting down to eat when Hatori arrived with Momiji and Hatsuharu. "Hi everyone!" Momiji had his positive attitude back. "How's our guest doing."

"He'll still sleeping, but showing signs of improvement." Shigure looked happy. "Tohru-kun told me that his fever's gone down."

"I wanna' see him! Tohru, can I go check on him? Please?" Momiji looked at the orphan pleadingly.

"Momiji, I don't think that's a good idea." Hatori reminded him. "He needs his rest and I don't want him waking up so suddenly."

"But he'll be sacred if he wakes up all alone!"

"He said no! Now be quiet!" Kyo pounded him on the head again.

"Waaaah! Kyo hit me!" Momiji cried.

"Both of you just shut up and eat." Hatsuharu helped himself to an orange and shoved it in his mouth, whole.

"You're supposed to peel it ya' idiot." Kyo mashed his hand on the back of Haru's head. "Now spit that out before ya' choke on it!"

"Bu' m' hun' gy'!" Translation: But I'm hungry!!

"Now, let's not get into any more fights…" Shigure tried to separate them before Haru went Black again.

No one had noticed that Momiji was missing.

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The sun shone through the curtains onto Ed's face, he could feel it's warmth but wasn't really acknowledging it. He mind was somewhere on the border between awake and asleep, trying to remember what had happened.

Ed remembered being dismembered by the gate, his soul and body scattered about, mixing with that of the dead. The void was black, icy cold, and the dead souls surrounded him cried out in fear and pain. Their voices filled his head, telling him to let go of what little life he had left in him and join them.

But he was not dead…he was still alive, and could feel the energy of the living somewhere. It was a sort of heat that made Ed want to seek it out, like wanting to curl up in front of a fire on a cold day. But with this came sadness. If he was alive and just trapped in here, then that meant Alphonse was truly dead. For a time he grieved over what he had lost, and then other emotions began to conflict within him. In the end survival instinct overrode all his other feelings.

Barely alive and on the verge of death and insanity, he pulled himself back together, though never got his arm or leg back. He had not had them for long enough to be able to pull them onto his slowly reassembling body. Then let his soul lead his body to the energy, and found a opening to the other side. There were live people beyond it. Edward could feel their life force feed his own. It strengthened him, and kept him going.

The dead realized what he was up to, and tried to pull him back into the cold, black void, jealous of his link to life and warmth. But Ed resisted, and struggled to get through. The heat was so real, and his body screamed for relief from the cold darkness. There was life beyond the opening, he could feel their souls, scared and confused. And then he was out, and the rain splattered on his still cold skin. He did it. He had made it through.

And then came the pain.

His arm and leg was gone…again, and he was still alive. So that meant that he had sacrificed himself for nothing, and lost his brother for good. After that, his memory was vague, and could not remember anything clearly. What he did recall made no sense.

He remembered thrashing from the pain of his lost limbs, and feeling light-headed from the loss of blood. Then there were hands trying to hold him down. He had panicked and struggled even harder, thinking that the Truth had come back for him, until the hands lifted. They were replaced by a single pair of hands, gentle and strong. He opened his eyes and saw bright light shining on his face, only to pass out again after the room started spinning.

The next thing he was only half aware of was the feeling of being cold and hot at the same time. Sweat was rolling down his face, but everything else felt cold against his skin, like automail. The stumps were once his arm and leg had began throbbing dully. Spasms rocked his body. Then something even colder pressed to his face. Edward tried to flinch away from it, yet couldn't move. His remaining arm felt heavy. The cold thing moved up and down his torso slowly, and he felt the sweat being wiped off his body.

A fire erupted in his throat awhile later, and he groaned. His voice instinctively activated itself.

"So…thirsty…" Ed's throat hurt even more from the effort, so he quit talking right there. Ed felt someone lift his head up, and something brushed against his mouth. Water. Sweet, cold water. He let it slide into his mouth at first, slowly, and then drank eagerly as the soothing liquid washed the fire away. Content, he fell asleep again.

"_So that's what happened to me." _Ed thought. He yanked his mind back to the present situation at hand._ "I remember those events somewhat, but where am I now?"_ He opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was a pair of big, bright eyes shoved right at his face. Edward stared for a second, and those eyes stared right back. A voice came from somewhere.

"Hi." That was all it said. It took about two seconds for Edward's brain to process this, and then he did what anyone else would do if they woke up to that kind of sight.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Kyo and Hatsuharu's argument over properly peeled fruits was cut short by screaming coming from the upper floor of the house. Everyone's heads flew up to the room above them: The guest room. Silence came after the scream for about five seconds, until Momiji called out to them.

"Hatori!!! He's awake now!!!" Another yell followed his.

"STAY BACK YOU CREEP!!!" They all presumed this to be the strangers voice. There was a load crash. Hatori was on his feet in an instant, taking the steps two at a time, Tohru and Kyo tailing him. They burst through the door. Momiji was standing there waiting for them.

"Hatori, he screamed in my face and hurt my ears!" Momiji tattled. The boy on the futon desperately tried to back away.

"ONLY CAUSE' YOU SHOVED IT IN MY FACE!!!!" He was clearly freaking out. "NOBODY WANTS TO WAKE UP AND SEE THAT!!!!"

"I told you not to scare him you stupid rabbit!!!" Kyo, once again, hit Momiji. And, once again, Momiji proceeded to cry.

"Waaah! Stop it, Kyo!" Momiji said.

"Get that freak of nature out of here!!!" Edward pointed his remaining arm at the crying Momiji.

Hatori approached him cautiously. "Calm down. No one's going to hurt you." The boy grabbed a spare needle from Hatori's bag (The doctor had left his briefcase there the previous night) and pointed it at him.

"Get away from me, you quack!!" A moment later Shigure, Yuki, and Haru came rushing in.

"Tohru-kun, what's wrong?!" Shigure asked. Then he took one look at the scene in front of him, and started laughing. Kyo was strangling Momiji, Tohru looked like she was on the verge of panicking, and the stranger was fending off Hatori with a long, scary-looking needle. Everybody stopped moving in an instant and stared at him.

"Sorry, you all just look so ridiculous!!" Shigure chuckled and tried to get a hold of himself.

"Calm down everyone," Amidst all the chaos, Haru was the one who kept cool. "You especially." His gaze rested on their guest.

"Take it easy, were not going to harm you." Yuki walked forward, holding his hands up to show that he wasn't armed. The boy's face relaxed slightly, but he still didn't drop it.

"Tell me who you are and where the hell am I?" He tried to back away again, but was having trouble moving due to the fact that he was missing a leg.

"I'm sorry." It was Tohru who spoke this time. "I'm sure you're very confused right now and, well, if I came flying out of a hole in the air and I was missing some limbs and had no idea where I was I'd be scared as well."

Edward lowered the shot, and was quiet for a second before speaking again. "Like I said earlier, who are you and where am I?"

"Oh, my name is Tohru Honda." She bowed formally, "This is Momiji-san, Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun, Hatsuharu-san, Shigure-san and Hatori-san." She pointed to each of them in turn. "They're all from the same family; the Sohma's. Your name is Edward Elric, right."

Ed remembered telling her his name last night, so he just nodded. "That's right, but you can just call me Ed."

"Okay then, Ed-san!" She said joyfully. Hatori then interrupted.

"I got called from the main house and skipped Akito's appointment so I could check on him, so can you please allow me to do that?" They nodded. "Now go eat breakfast." The group reluctantly left the room. Hatori turned to his patient. "I need to see your wounds and clean them." He began to unwind the bandages to asses the damage.

____________________________________________________________________________________

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Sorry for ending the chapter like this. It just started getting too long. Seriously! This chapter was at least 7 pages long! Don't quote me on that!

_**Haru:**_ You've been typing a lot, I'm surprised you're fingers haven't fallen off.

_**Hatori:**_ Same here.

_**Edward:**_ Believe me, you don't 'wanna end up with automail fingers.

_**Primitiveradiogoddess: True. Well, you all know the routine! R&R, and if you have flames, try to go easy on me! I'll try to update ASAP, but with my upcoming research paper deadline, that seems kind of out of reach. See you soon! **_


	3. Getting Up

**_Author's Notes:_** I'm so sorry for the obvious lack of updates. I'm terrible…T_T. My brother's laptop broke and I had no way to update. And now here I am typing you people the next chapter on my comp at dad's house. And there might be a later delay in updates due to multiple problems. Such as the 'end of school' rush, the laptop not getting fixed 'till late May, and having several relatives staying over. On the brighter side of delays, I'M GOING TO DISNEYWORLD!!!!!! WHOOP!!! *spins with glee* I'll try to post a chapter before we leave, and I'll try to type while I'm there. Though the chances of that are pretty slim, since I'm 'gonna be running around the parks like a maniac. LOL!! ^^. In other news some people have been asking me when exactly this story takes place. To be correct this takes place sometime after Volume 13 of Fruits Basket. I haven't gone back to reread the series in a while, so maybe I should do that….I digress, so now I am pleased to bring you the third chapter of The Alchemist and the Zodiac.

**_Disclaimer:_** I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sama and Hiromu Arakawa-sama. Plot belongs to me. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, rightfully belongs to its maker Hideo Kojima-sama. =P (I just can't seem to beat it…T_T)

* * *

Chapter 3

Getting Up

**Shigure Sohma's House, 1:30 P.M…**

"Ouch…easy on the shoulder there doc." Ed complained. The doctor didn't look up from his work, just continued to check his amputated shoulder. He soon finished his exam and shook his head.

"What happened to them anyway?" he asked him. The boy didn't reply, and didn't look at the doctor.

"Alright, don't tell me." He said simply. "I'm afraid there's not much I can do for your arm, but I can get you a prosthetic leg so you can get up and walk around. Your other option is a wheelchair. In the meantime, you best stay in bed until those wounds close up. I'm certain Tohru-san will be happy to take care of you." Hatori stood up and turned to leave, then noticed the worried expression on Edward's face, and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, we won't tell anyone else where you're from. Now I must get back to Akito." The doctor walked out of the room. Ed could hear him step down the stairs.

He then tried to gather his scattered thoughts. Since he was scared into a near heart attack, his mind was overcome with shock. It felt clear now that he was alone. He began to take in his surroundings. He was in a large room, empty save for the bed and a water bottle lying on the floor. Seeing it made Ed thirsty again, so he picked it up and downed the rest in one gulp. The water hit his empty stomach with a hollow sound that felt unpleasant. He hadn't eaten since he and Al had left Resembool to stop the Homunculi and their leader Dante; three days ago. That, and The Gate had practically drained him of life force. He had no idea how long he had spent in there.

In addition to taking in his surroundings, he was inexplicably reminded of how he ended up here in the first place, and why. Though he was past the worst of mourning for his lost brother, the knowledge still left a hole in his chest. For, somehow, he was able to cry while in the deathly cold void of The Gate, his tears frozen in the chilly air. Ed snapped out of the thoughts with a sharp shake of the head.

"I really don't want to think about that," He thought sadly, and lay down on his back. "Maybe I should try to go back to sleep." Ed was starting to drift off again when he heard a knock. The alchemist opened one eye to the sound. A male voice called out to him.

"Can we come in?" Ed didn't reply for a second.

"Ok…" He sat up slowly. The door slid open to reveal Yuki, Tohru, and Momiji. Ed eyed the energetic Zodiac rabbit warily, but not for long. His eyes were for the tray Tohru was carrying, for it was laden with food, half of which he had never even seen before.

"I thought you might be hungry Ed-san." The girl called Tohru walked up to him, careful not to spill the plate's contents, and sat it down next to him. An extremely audible growl filled the room. Edward started to drool.

"I'm starving…" he said weakly. The hungry alchemist snatched up the fork with his remaining hand and began shoveling food into his mouth. Momiji bounded up to him, and made Ed flinch.

"Hey, sorry about scaring you earlier." His apology came with a smile. "You just looked so weird while you were sleeping and you had your mouth open like this." Momiji did a cute imitation of Ed's face while he slept. Al always gave his brother grief for his weird sleeping positions. Edward didn't reply until he finished swallowing his mouthful of food.

"No probe, just don't do it again, please?" He asked, and then proceeded to shove a rice ball into his mouth. Already the food Tohru had brought up to him was half gone. They waited until Ed had cleared his plate before Yuki spoke.

"If you need help getting somewhere, just let us know, alright?" he said. "Tori-nii's going to order a leg for you, so it should be here in three day's time. Just try to relax until then." Yuki picked up the tray and left. Tohru and Momiji stood up as well.

"I'll let you get some sleep now, Ed-san." She told him. "Even now, after fighting that fever, you must be tired." She was right, for his eyelids had began to grow heavy.

"Thanks for the food." He mumbled, and then lay down, rolled over on his side and almost instantly fell asleep again.

* * *

Tohru and her Zodiac friend left the room quietly, and by the time they had closed the door they could hear him snoring. The twosome tiptoed down the steps to find Yuki bickering quietly with Kyo. Haru and Shigure simply looked on.

"…you really 'outta have your head checked, you stupid cat." Kyo retaliated with a sharp punch. Yuki dodged it quickly and had said 'stupid cat' sprawled on the floor within seconds. Momiji tried to get their attention.

"Be quiet, you guys!" He said. "He just fell asleep again."

"Poor thing." Shigure said sympathetically, and then he joked, "Traumatized by Momiji's cute yet frightening face."

"Hey!" Momiji simpered, whilst Haru started chuckling.

"Either way," He said once he had finished, "I don't think Ed's going to feel inclined to tell us about himself once he recovers. Tori-nii told me about his reaction to that particular question, so it's best we just let him be until he opens up a bit, and that won't be for a while unless you two stop making noises and let him rest." The last part of this statement went to Kyo and Yuki, the latter still pinning down the Zodiac cat. Yuki let him go. Haru turned his attention to the TV.

The whole room was silent for a while, watching the drama that was a huge hit with the critics, until Kyo voiced the question that had been nagging at them from the moment it was decided he was allowed to stay.

"What are going to do once he finds out about the curse?" Everyone tensed, and then Shigure answered.

"I'm quite sure we can trust him." He sounded certain. "After all, he's going to need to rely on secrecy as well. How he got here, and why, is probably going to be as big as our curse. However, we should let him find out for himself, and see how he reacts. Perhaps then he'll want to tell us about where he came from. For all we know he could already know how to get back to where he came from and not find out at all."

This reassured the others, so they then relaxed, and continued watching the drama.

* * *

**The main house of the Sohma family…**

Hatori struggled to his feet, trying to recover from the intense blow Akito had delivered to his face. One moment ago he had announced his return, the next a fist came flying towards his cheek. It struck him with a sickening thud and sent the Zodiac dragon careering into the wall. The head of the family was clearly irate, even if his face didn't show it. It was just as cold and emotionless as it usually was.

"Do you think that you have the right to just walk out on me when I'm sick?" His voice had all the venom of a snake and all the ice of a winter. "Where on Earth did you get such petty ideas? I am 'God', and you will do as I say. Do I make myself clear?"

The idea of going against Akito was repulsive to Hatori, so he simply nodded. The Sohma curse had earned it's reputation for them having to take orders from this violent 'God'. It bound them to him for eternity.

"Shigure hurt his ankle, so I had to go help him." Hatori tried to defend himself, but failed.

"Why should you care for someone who I don't even care about, that's one of the most pathetic excuses I've ever heard from you. You should be ashamed at that weakness." Hatori didn't answer right away, but got up and bowed.

"…yes, Akito."

* * *

**Three Days' Later…**

By this point in time the residents of Shigure's house had gotten used to the presence of their guest. Ed didn't really say much, for he spent most of his time sleeping, only saying thank you whenever Tohru brought food to his room. After Hatori checked on him he slept through the rest of the day and night, and woke up late the next morning. From then on he continued to just eat whatever they offered him and sleep. Yuki lent the boy some clothing, but he soon proved to have a lot of difficulty putting it on.

Tohru was washing dishes when Hatori arrived again, this time with a large package in his arms. At first Tohru felt excited that Ed was finally going to be able to walk, and then noticed the large bandage on Hatori's left cheek. And, with her nature, started worrying over it.

"Hatori-san, are you ok? What happened? Does it hurt?" She started to get into one of her panic attacks again, so the dragon decided to just answer her questions before she got too far.

"I'm fine Tohru-san. Akito got angry for ditching him, so he let me have it. And no, it doesn't hurt." He pat her on the head. "Don't worry about me." A loud thumping noise grabbed their attention.

"Haa-san!" Shigure came rushing in, and tried to use Hatori as a shield. "Hide me!!" Hatori raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Why?" he asked. The answer came sprinting into the room wearing a bath-towel, dripping water and soap suds onto the floor.

"I'M 'GONNA KILL THAT MANGY MUTT!!!" Kyo shouted. Why he was going to kill him was obvious; Kyo's hair had changed from a bright orange to a very hot pink.

It took all of Hatori's self-control not to laugh.

"Kyo-kun," The 'mangy mutt' said, "It was just a harmless prank. I didn't mean to make you angry."

"If you knew it was 'gonna make me mad, then why'd you do it??!!!!" Kyo retaliated.

"Calm down," Hatori told him, "It's only temporary, so it'll fade in a few minutes." He sighed, and then added, "Shigure pulled this very prank on me in high school, though my hair turned purple instead. So don't think you're the only one suffering from this. However, I got back at him by filling his shoes with glue."

"I knew it was you, Haa-san!" Shigure dramatically waved his hand at him. "Aaya just didn't believe that you would do such a thing. How could you?!" Tears formed in Shigure's eyes.

"Because I walked out of the showers in front of gym class with royal colored hair, and they didn't stop joking about it until we graduated." Hatori then turned back to the infuriated cat. "I herby bestow upon thee one free revenge shot at Shigure. If you need me to hold him down, I'll do so." Yuki walked in a second later.

"Ah, Tori-nii, perfect timing." Yuki looked optimistic. "He just woke up, no thanks to all that…" Yuki stopped speaking after noticing Kyo's current hair color, not to mention the fact that he was still soaking wet.

"Well, that's an improvement." He said tauntingly.

"Shut up 'ya damn rat!!" Kyo charged, only to fall to the ground after slipping on the soap he had dripped to the floor. That was what drove Hatori off the deep end, and he joined in with Yuki and Shigure's laughter. Kyo picked himself up off the floor, and stomped back up the stairs, muttering obscenities under his breath.

"Put some clothes on!" Shigure called out to him. No answer. Hatori then remembered what he had come here for, and went back to the kitchen to retrieve the package.

"Well then, shall we?" He asked.

Tohru (after snapping out of her moment of panic when Kyo slipped), Shigure, Yuki and Hatori headed into Ed's room, where he was finishing off the breakfast Tohru had cooked for him. He looked up at their arrival.

"Good news." Shigure said in a singsong voice. "Your new leg has arrived." Ed seemed happy at this.

"Thank God, I can finally get up." He said with a sigh of relief, then looked shocked at Hatori's large bandage. "What happened to your face?" He asked.

"Nothing, I just got reprimanded by the head of the Sohma family." Ed didn't really understand, so he just shrugged it off, and let Hatori begin to give him back his ability to walk.

For the next twenty minutes Hatori attached the prosthetic leg to what was left of his old one. Kyo came in sometime later and watched, fully dressed with his hair back to its normal color.

"Finished." he finally said. "Now try to stand up."

Ed struggled to his feet, clearly not used to the leg yet. But eventually he managed to stand. Hatori read the rest of the instructions.

"You should be able to do the basics," He explained "like walking and bending the knees and toes, but that's about it. The leg may be gone, but your brain should still be sending signals to the muscles. The mechanisms in the leg take the waves, and allow movements of the artificial muscles."

"I can live with that." Ed seemed very happy. He walked around the room to test it out. "Feels weird, that's for sure, but I'm sure I'll get used to it." His eyes gained a strange, distant look. He shook his head and looked back at the doctor. "How much do I owe you?"

Hatori just smiled. "Just make sure you stay on your feet and keep walking, alright." Ed looked surprised, but then nodded. The next thing the doctor said caught Ed off guard. "The instructions also say that there have been cases of infections in the leg due to the sealing of bacteria inside it, so I'll have to make sure you're immune to that."

"What do 'ya mean by that?" he asked. As if the answer his question that doctor pulled out a long needle from his bag, filled with a kind of pink liquid.

"You need this shot so we don't have to amputate your leg any farther." Hatori said simply.

Ed figured out a plan in two seconds. He abruptly pointed towards the door.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!?!" Everyone, acting on their instincts, whirled around to stare. There was nothing.

"What are you talking abou-" Yuki ended his question when he had finished his 180 degree turn back to face Ed, only to find he was gone. The window was open, the curtains fluttering lightly in the fall breeze. Tohru rushed to the open window.

"He's gone!" She yelled

"How the hell did he do that?" Yuki seemed both awed and shocked at the same time.

"How did he do what?" Shigure asked. "Disappear that quickly or jump down from the second floor with a leg he's only been using for two minutes?"

"Both!" Yuki shouted. Hatori picked up his briefcase and put the needle back inside. He seemed pretty calm about all this.

"Yuki, Kyo. Will you do us all a favor and go catch him?" He asked. "He shouldn't be running around like this with only one arm and a fake leg."

"Sure." Kyo took a deep breath and exhaled joyfully "I love the thrill of the hunt!" He ran downstairs to put on some shoes, while yelling over his shoulder, "Bet I can catch him before you can 'ya damn rat!"

Yuki was never one to back down from a direct challenge against his rival, so he ran down stairs shortly after Kyo said this. Shigure appeared to be quite amused.

"Ahhh, nothing beats a thrilling chase through the streets." Shigure said wistfully.

* * *

Ed soon found himself weaving through dark alleys and multiple trashcans. He figured so long as he could throw them off his trail like this, they would give up. He stopped for a rest after running a little further, and sat down on a trashcan.

"Brings back memories of playing hide and seek with Al when we were at our teachers place." He thought. "The first time we tried to play it we both got lost. And when our teacher found us she proceeded to beat us about the head and neck with that iron pipe she found." He shuddered at the memory of all the times she almost had the pair within an inch of their lives. Pulling himself out of those painful memories, he tried to strategize how he was going to avoid the others.

Mastering this fake leg was going to be easy for him. Automail was a lot more complicated(and painful) than this was. When Hatori had installed it didn't even hurt, and already he had jumped from the second floor and was on the move before they had turned around. This was a strong leg. the downside was he now had no clue where he was. Due to what he had seen on his sprint, this side of The Gate seemed a lot more advanced in technology and medicine.

"I'm pretty certain they don't have automail here, so I'm 'gonna have to find a way back home soon." Since he had arrived he had been going through everything he knew about The Gate. So far he had come up with nothing. He absentmindedly flexed his fake leg. "If I can move as fast as I normally can with this leg, I wonder if I can fight with it as well." He was starting to get out of shape.

"Hey!!!" someone shouted at him. Ed glanced up to see Kyo there, looking furious and exhausted. "Stop running around like you're a crazy person, you'll only succeed in opening those wounds again!!"

"I don't take orders from you!" Ed retaliated.

"You're just over reacting from a stupid little needle." Ed jumped a bit when he said that final word, then composed himself and stuck his tongue out at the Zodiac cat. Kyo flew at him like a bullet from a gun.

That was a mistake, for the next thing he knew he was on the ground, his lower abdomen throbbing like crazy. Only one thought echoed through his mind: "How did he do that?"

* * *

Yuki was getting tired of this game of cat and mouse, then he chuckled quietly at his own joke. The people who saw Edward run were of no help, cause he always moved out of their line of vision before they could see which way he was going. He rounded the corner to see Kyo lying on the ground.

"Wow, he's fast for a guy who just got back on his feet." Yuki commented. Kyo sprang up from his sprawled out position.

"I'M 'GONNA KICK HIS ASS FOR THAT!!!" Kyo yelled to the skies.

"We should approach this rationally." He told him. "Remember the plan."

"Screw the plan, I want my revenge!!" Kyo yelled.

"Then you'll get it by out-smarting him." Yuki scolded. "Now come on." They took off down the alley again.

They spotted him a few minutes later, sitting on top of another trash can. Yuki signaled to Kyo to take off down the other alleyway to trap him. He then approached the blonde youth.

"Why are you overreacting to such a small matter?" Yuki took Ed by surprise this time. Ed didn't reply, he was already on the move down the alley.

"Perfect." Yuki thought. Kyo leaped out of the shadows of the other opening, successfully driving their prey towards the dead end. Ed saw the wall up ahead but kept up his pace.

"We gotcha now!!" Kyo yelled.

"Oh really, then watch this!" Ed then astounded them both by running along the alley wall, gaining altitude and leaping over the dead end. Kyo and Yuki tried to slow down before the hit the brick wall, with no luck.

WHAM!!

Yuki's nose ached for days after that, and Kyo came very close to having a cracked skull.

They kept up the chase for about an hour, and each time Ed would slip out of their grasp by displaying some very acrobatic moves. Fortunately, Edward was running towards the destination they wanted him to be. But the running was taking a lot out of both of them.

"You…stop…right…now…" Kyo had just about reached his limit, and Ed was slowing down enough to taunt them.

"If you want to keep up your strength, then stop yelling! It just takes away the oxygen you need for breathing." They were now in a park, Kyo and Yuki had both stopped running, and were now trying to catch their breath.

"You…shut up… you…diminutive speed demon…" Kyo panted. He did not notice the sudden change in Ed's composure, nor did he see the foot aimed for his head until it was too late.

"SHORTY?! COULD A SHORTY DO THIS?! WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO CALL ME, A HALF-PINT BEANSPROUT MIDGET?!?!"

(The scene where Kyo and Yuki get their asses handed to them has been edited out due to the graphic violence that exceeds the M rating. Either that or I'm just lazy =P)

Tohru and Shigure were unfortunate enough to see Ed unleash all the fury of hell onto his two victims. Tohru was torn be interfering and running away to save her own life. Shigure watched intently.

Ed would've reduced the Zodiac members to nothing more then bloody pulps had Hatori not stepped up behind and stabbed the shot into his leg. Ed leaped into the air, more out of being scared then the pain.

"AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!" It was all over in a second. Hatori removed the needle.

"There, you're done. Let's go home and eat lunch." Ed sent a glare at Hatori, then noticed the very frightened Tohru, her head alternating between looking at the bloody messes that were Yuki and Kyo. Ed looked embarrassed.

"Yeah, uh, sorry about that." He apologized.

"I'm not sure either of them will be able to live this down." Shigure commented. "Getting the living crap beaten out of them by a one-armed little kid." Shigure's mistake was saying the L word, for Ed then turned his fiery eyes to him.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MICROSCOPIC BEANSPROUT?!?!" He threw himself onto to Shigure, intent on giving him a taste of hell, when he knocked both himself and Shigure into Tohru, and caused a chain of events.

The very first thing Ed saw was a puff of multicolored smoke coming from Shigure. There was a loud pop, and by the time the dust cleared, a black dog had taken the place of Shigure. It was sitting on Tohru's lap. His clothes were strewn on the ground. Ed needed a few seconds to get this info through his head before leaping away.

"What the hell did I just do?!" Ed looked like he was going to freak out.

"I am so sorry Shigure!" Tohru bowed deeply. "I didn't mean to let that happen!

"Don't worry about it Tohru-kun." The fact that the dog spoke in Shigure's didn't help Ed's current state of mind.

"It spoke, Aaahhh!!!" Ed stepped farther away. Hatori managed to grab him firmly by the shoulders to keep him from running.

"Ed-kun…calm down." The dog looked at Ed with an even gaze. "It's me, Shigure." Ed stared intensely for a moment.

"What the hell happened to you?" he yelled.

* * *

**_Primitiveradiogoddess:_** Lookie at my Raiden plushy!! *Twirls around in a circle and squeezes plushy* JOY!!!

**_Tohru:_** Congratulations!

**_Kyo:_** HA!! I can beat that guy in a fight any day!!

**_Raiden:_** 'Wanna bet? *Attacks Kyo ninja style*

**_Alphonse:_** Wow…that must hurt more then when big brother throws a tantrum.

**_Primitiveradiogoddess:_** Ok everyone, you know what to do! R&R, all reviews are greatly appreciated, and if you have flames, try to go easy on me. And I have a quick request. If anyone knows how to get a hold of the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots soundtrack, could you please let me know? Pretty please. I really want that song Calling to the Night. Oh well, that's all for now! See ya!


	4. Alchemy's Opposite

_**Authors Notes:**_ AAAGGGHH!! Finals!!!! Every students worst fear! The test of judgement that determines pass or fail!! I probably shouldn't be typing this chapter right now(I have to study and finish editing my research paper), but I've been under so much pressure right now that I just need to let off some steam. I can't really study in peace until I get this chapter done. I've already figured out how this will end and all of the major details, but I still need to work on the minor ones. I think that's the hardest part about writing a story, in my opinion. Resisting the temptation to just skip all the minor details and get to the major points..........I really need to get this plot moving along. I find it easier to work under pressure, so I set deadlines for myself and get the chapter done by then. If I don't, I'll have my brother whack me in the head with a book to clear it. School ends on May 13th, so in celebration, that will be when I post another chappie. We leave for Disney World by on May 27th, so I'll try to get a few chapters in before then. A lot of people have been asking me what the couples are. I did make this a romance story. The obvious couple is Kyo and Tohru. The rest will be revealed in time. From the plot I'm developing, I'm guessing that by chapter 6 the romance will kick up. Just please don't hate me for who I choose...T_T And there will be some spoilers for the series so the best thing to do is at least have read up to Volume 17 of Furuba. One more thing; these days, when I lose the urge to write, I listen to various songs to inspire myself. I will type the song and person who sang it to give them credibility. For example:

_**Inspiration for this chapter:**_ I had none to match this chapter, but when I starting typing this I played "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" by "KC and the Sunshine Band", and it kept me going.

That's basically what it's going to look like. I kid you not, every time I played this song while writing this chapter, I kept getting up and dancing along to it....................Damn it! I'm procrastinating again, so let's get on to the next chapter of The Alchemist and the Zodiac.

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sama and Hiromu Arakawa-sama. Plot belongs to me.

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Chapter 4

Alchemy's Opposite

** Shigure Sohma's house, 2:30 A.M...**

The full moon shone brightly in the sky, illuminating Ed's face and making his hair glow. He was laying on the futon, rolled over on his side, just staring out the window. He wondered if this is what Al felt like when he was trapped inside that suit of armor. To want to just fall asleep yet not be able to at all. His little brother was right; it did make you think about things you didn't want to. Ed knew why he had been sleeping so much lately, for now he was wishing he could.

While in the black void of the gate, his life force had been drained by the cold and the dead souls around him. It had taken all of his strength to reassemble his scattered body parts, and he barely had any even then. Then he had to navigate his way to the other side. And he wouldn't have made it if the Sohmas hadn't treated his fever and amputated shoulder and leg. The three days he had spent in bed had allowed Ed to put two and two together, and figured out why he was so weak; he was sleeping to recover his lost life force and get his strength back up. Each time he would wake up, he would be hungry, so Tohru would bring him food. He ate it all, but still hadn't recovered his strength, so he would always fall back to sleep. Now, he was wishing that he could just be that weak again, just so he could fall asleep and forget everything.

The day's events continued to roll through his head, and still he didn't get it. Everything he had learned, the Sohma family's great secret, and the knowledge he had given them had been a huge shock to each other. He was certain none of the other household residents were sleeping either. He had heard someone go to the bathroom at least four times that night. Ed made a face as, once again, the afternoon's incident played again through his mind. The incident that changed the way he saw his newfound caretakers.

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_"I'm really sorry I was standing there, I should've moved out of the way." Tohru had done nothing but apologize to Shigure ever since they had started back home._

_Ed's furious ranting and launched attack on Yuki and Kyo had attracted attention, fortunately after Shigure transformed. They left quickly to avoid the inquiring eyes of the authorities, Tohru carrying Shigure to keep him from transforming back. Hatori suspected that he had enjoyed the ride. The Zodiac cat and rat had trouble getting back up after the alchemist pounded them into practically nothing. Kyo limped the whole way, and Yuki was covered in bruises. That delayed them, for by the time they reached the house the sun had begun to sink in the sky. They went inside, and Ed just sat at the table, saying nothing. Tohru still continued to apologize._

_"Tohru-kun, it was not your fault, just calm down." Shigure was still in dog form, and that wasn't helping Ed much to see a talking dog reassure Tohru. Hatori, in the meantime, was bandaging up to injured Yuki and Kyo, the latter still sore and angry after letting his guard down like that._

_"I'm 'gonna get you back for this one day, you know that?" Kyo threatened, Ed didn't reply, just did his best to avoid everyone's gaze._

_"Where did you learn to fight? I've never seen moves like that before." Yuki asked, but was guessing that he wasn't going to get an answer from him. Silence ensued his question, then Hatori broke it._

_"I suppose we owe you an explanation for all this." The doctor placed a large bandage on Yuki's forehead, "The reason Shigure transformed into was because of a curse that runs in the Sohma family. However, the curse only happens to 14 people within our family. Every time that person is greatly weakened, or is hugged by someone of the opposite sex, they turn into one of the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac, plus the Cat." He explained, and went back to what he was doing._

_Shigure decided to finish. He looked at Ed, who still didn't lift his head. "I'm the Dog of the Zodiac, Hatori is the Dragon, Yuki is the Rat, Haru is the Ox, Kyo is the Cat, and Momiji is the Rabbit. We change back after a short period of time, so long as we're still not held or stressed out. The only difference is," The was a loud pop again, along with more colored smoke. "We're naked." Tohru got up and sprinted out of the room, blushing. She came back sometime later with a kimono. Shigure put it on quickly. Ed still hadn't looked at them once since he had arrived. Yuki continued their tale._

_"There are the other members in addition to them: the Tiger, the Horse, the Monkey, the Ram, the Rooster, and the Boar. And the 'god' that binds us all," He said this statement with a tensed voice. "who happens to be the head of the family, Akito. We are meant to be with him for all eternity." Ed remained silent, and they let him. However, he spoke much more quickly then they thought he would._

_"There is no 'god', and I should know this personally. It's just a bond. Nothing more." the cursed Zodiac members looked shocked at this statement, but Ed didn't notice. It was a while before he spoke again, and by this time Tohru had gotten up and went to the kitchen to make some tea. By the time she got back Ed decided to speak again._

_"The place where I come from, my world, is completely different from this one. It's a place where fairy tales and magic are laughed at, where science explains everything, where people just don't turn into animals all of a sudden." He shuddered for some reason. "It's a world of alchemy." Everyone looked shocked at the word. Kyo decided to press further._

_"Doesn't alchemy involve making gold out of lead and becoming immortal?" He asked. _

_Ed grinned, and finally looked at them._

_"Yeah, something like that, only it kept evolving, and turned out to be much more then that." Ed sat up from his hunched over position. He looked ready to give a big speech. "It's a science, a science of breaking down raw materials and reassembling them into something else. It follows the various rules of science and equations, such as the Law of Conservation of Mass, the Periodic table, and the Laws of Equivalent Exchange." _

_"'Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return.' That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. Another way to put it is, in order to gain anything, something of equal value has to be lost. You can't just go around turn one element into another. Sure you can turn lead into gold, but where I come from, it's a taboo practice, otherwise the value of gold would just go plummeting down. The people who study this art are what we call alchemists. I am one of those alchemist who live on that side." His head dropped down again. _

_"I came here through The Gate, the only link between these worlds. I didn't mean to cross it." He began to shake, his voice becoming strained. His audience wasn't even sure if he was talking to them at this point. "I thought I made an equivalent exchange. My mind, body, and soul for his. I'm not supposed to be here. Hell, I'm not even supposed to be alive. I failed him; I failed my little brother." His quivering continued, even harder then before. Tohru reached a hand over in an attempt to comfort the upset child, but jerked away from her touch. He stood up abruptly after that._

_"I need to take all of this in, so could you just give me some time to think, please?" Nobody moved, so he headed for the room's exit. As Ed began to make his way to the stairs, _

_Hatori spoke up again for the first time in a while._

_"Now that you know about our curse, we may have to erase your memory. However," He continued, after seeing the surprised look on Ed's face, "we will have to erase our memories of you in return. Equivalent Exchange, right?" The alchemist smiled slightly, turned around, and went to his room._

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Ed knew there was no Equivalency in this curse. He was thinking of all the things that could happen to one of them. They couldn't be held by their mother or father without transforming, they always had to be careful when out in crowded places, they couldn't hold the ones they loved, and being bound forever, not even able to choose their own life.

The curse didn't shock him as much as he thought it would. After all, hadn't he done and seen things that were just as weird and bizarre? He rolled over again, trying to find a comfortable position, before he had a visitor.

"Hello?" a quiet voice called out to him. Ed's head lifted at the sound. It was Tohru.

"Can I come in?" She asked.

"Umm....sure." He replied, and sat up. She walked in hesitantly. Her eyes were red from the clear lack of sleep. She was in her pajamas.

"Can't sleep either huh?" He asked. She nodded.

"It's so strange to think that there's another world beyond this one. I thought my life was strange enough here, with the curse. What's it like there?" Ed thought for a moment before explaining.

"My country, Amestris, has may cities and farmlands. I was born in a small town called Resembool, with my brother and mother. She died when I turned ten, not too long ago. And then I lost my brother when he saved my life. In an attempt to bring him back, I made an alchemic exchange: My life for his. But then I woke up here, and I have no idea why." Ed stopped talking. He wasn't ready for them to find out about the sin he and his brother committed. Maybe, with luck, they wouldn't find out at all...

"I know what it's like to be alone, Ed-san." Tohru's statement surprised Ed. "My dad died when I was little, and mom died last year in a car accident. Shigure-san took me in, well, they all did, and it wasn't long after that before I found out about the curse. It shocked me, I will say that, and things aren't really going so well between me and Akito-san. It was strange to live among these people, but they're still human, so why can't I treat them like they're human beings?" Ed nodded in agreement, for if he didn't call them human, that meant he had no right to call his brother human. After all, wasn't Alphonse in a similar situation to this once, not being entirely human either?

"It was a strange turn of events for me, living here, but despite all that, I wanted to keep the promise I owe my mom. I promised her I would finish high school, and I'm able to keep going because of the people that support me. Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun, Uo-chan, Hana-chan, Shigure-san, and all of them, keep me going, and I don't have to give up."

"I also made another promise to myself, to break the Zodiac curse. Everyone, Shigure-san, Yuki-kun, Hatori-san, all of them, will return to the Sohma estate one day to be with Akito-san, 'god', and never be allowed to leave, and Kyo-kun, will be confined for life." Tohru looked very scared at this thought.

"I don't get why you just report this guy to the authorities." Ed commented. "I'm certain they won't let that happen. But then again, you guys want this whole curse business to be kept a secret. If they found out what they turned into, I'd bet they ship them off the labs to be studied like animals." Ed began to shudder. "I'm my country, one of the most despised kind of alchemy is the art of transmuting two living animals together, the results are known as chimera." Tohru face changed from scared to one that was horrified. "I don't want anything like that to happen to them, I got enough of that crap back in Amestris." He shut his mouth again, not wanting to even get near the subject of Nina. They sat in silence for another minute before Tohru started talking again.

"Ed-san...I...want to be able to support you in any why I can, and help you get back home. I'm certain everyone else would feel the same way." Ed looked relieved.

"And I'll help you break the curse in any way I can. Equivalent Exchange." He added with a rather lopsided grin. A much happier smile broke out on Tohru's face.

"Oh, thank you! I'm so glad that I've got some help." She stood up, bowing formally. "I feel so much better talking with you, and clearing some things up." the alchemist noticed how exhausted she appeared.

"Go to bed, if you don't get rest, you'll collapse from exhaustion at one point tomorrow, I guarantee it."

"Alright," She walked rather unsteadily to the door. "Goodnight!"

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** The next day...**

Kyo was the first one up this time. It hadn't taken long for him to pass out earlier that night, he was to tired to really think about anything else. He just walked to the fridge and pulled out a carton of milk, needing something to jumpstart his brain. Yuki came down later all dressed and ready for school. Kyo steered clear of him, knowing what he was like in the morning. Surprisingly, Edward was the next one down. This was new, now that he could actually walk, but the sight of his missing arm was still a little unnerving. He walked into the kitchen, but stopped after sighting Yuki and Kyo. He seemed a little embarrassed at first, but then looked them straight in the eye.

"Hey, I'm sorry for acting like that last night. I guess I just needed to get my facts straight. I've come to terms about this whole curse thing, maybe life and science are just different here, so," Ed shrugged, and held out his remaining hand to Kyo, "bygones?"

"Alright, bygones." He told him, and took the handshake. Yuki fully woke up then.

"I guess Shigure-san will have to tell Akito about you and the curse." He looked thoughtful. "I wonder how he will react to your limbs, let alone the news that you're from a different world."

"Who knows," Kyo sneered. "so long as he doesn't throw a fit about it. In the meantime, I guess you're stuck here until we can get you back to where came from."

"Hey, is there a library nearby? I really don't know anything about this world so I want to learn about it." Ed asked.

"There is." Yuki answered this one. "I'd say about 15 minutes away. I'll show you on our way to school." Tohru walked down a minute later.

"Good morning everyone! What would you like for breakfast?"

"I'd like some more of those rice balls," Ed requested. "I've never seen most of those foods you make, but they sure do hit the spot." He gave her a smile.

"Isn't she wonderful?" Shigure said as he swayed sleepily into the kitchen. His hand rested on Tohru's shoulder. "Tohru-kun's cooking is unmatched by any other food that has ever been tasted by humanki-" he stopped speaking abruptly, due to the sudden chill that filled the room. The sources were the other two Zodiac members.

"Right then, let's all eat." He finished nervously. 15 minutes later, the house was covered with the wafting scents of an assortment of foods, each type devoured by the new resident.

"I'm going to the main house today to talk to Akito about your situation." Shigure said when they were done. "Only time will tell about how he'll react."

"So long as he just doesn't bother me too much, I won't really care." He scraped his plate to get the scraps. Tohru then noticed the one thing he had avoided altogether in the midst of his frantic eating.

"Umm...Ed-san...you didn't drink your milk." She pointed out. Ed tensed, and as she tried to look him in the face, he sharply turned his head away. His sudden change in attitude had the

rooms attention.

"You drink it." he muttered, loud enough for the four to hear him. "I hate milk, it's like drinking vomit." Kyo shot up from the table.

"What the hell are you talking about?! Milk's good for you!!!"

"Shut up!!!! I'm not 'gonna drink some vile, white liquid that was secreted by a COW!!!!!"

Yuki then added a fatal comment. "Then this is why you're going to remain sho-" he was cut off by a sharp upper-cut from said 'shorty'. He was tossed outside, breaking the door down in the process. A repeat of yesterday's beating then happened to Yuki.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MOUSEY LITTLE PIPSQUEAK?!?!?!" They would all eventually come to fear Ed's tantrums. Shigure sniffled.

"It's hard living in a house filled with rowdy boys." He cried. Kyo ran outside.

"Cut it out! Beating that damn rat is my job." He yelled.

"Well, it just became mine." Ed shouted back. He then saw the smashed door.

"Oops…sorry Shigure!"

"It's alright. Since it's your first offense I'll let you off with a warning." He replied.

"Yuki-kun!!!" Tohru ran up and hauled the dazed rat to his feet. "Are you alright?"

"More or less." His gaze rested on Ed. "Where the hell did you learn to fight?"

"My old alchemy teacher, Izumi Curtis, taught me and my brother, Alphonse." He shuddered. "She put the pair of us through hell while we stayed with her, and for our trial training we were dumped on a deserted island for thirty days. And I wonder if…" He looked at the door again, then said, "Shigure, do you have any chalk?"

The question piqued up Shigure's curiosity "I think so, why?"

"Just an experiment I wanted to try." After Shigure got the chalk, Ed started drawing something on the wall. It looked similar to the circle that appeared the night Ed arrived. After finishing, he turned to the foursome.

"This is what's known as a transmutation circle. It allows alchemists to perform alchemy." He hesitantly placed his hand on it, and a bright blue flash shone from it. To the shock of them all, the door began to reform itself, until it looked no different from what it looked like earlier, before Ed had sent Yuki flying into it.

"Is that how alchemy works Elric-san?" Yuki pressed.

"You bet!" Tohru then realized what time it was.

"ON NO!! We're 'gonna be late!" She picked up her bag and rushed to the front entrance. "Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun, come on!!!" Ed followed the two boys who took off, still intent upon visiting the library.

"We'll drop you off at the library on our way, and picked you up on our way back." Yuki panted, struggeling to catch up with Tohru, who was running as though she had a pack of hungry wolves behind her.

"Got it!"

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** The main house of the Sohmas…**

Shigure walked down the hallway towards Akito's room. He was fairly interested to see how Akito would reacted once he broke the news. He was especially looking forward to seeing Ed react to Akito calling him short. After at last reaching Akito's door, he hesitated for the first time, wondering of this was a good idea. It was only for a brief moment, though. He announced his return and entered.

"Akito?" he called. He could see his figure, hunched over on the bed. There was no response until…

"What do you want?" he said bluntly, not returning the greeting.

"I've got some intriging news. Yet another person has discovered our curse." He heard Akito scoff.

"So, send Hatori to wipe his memories and be done with it." He commanded. "That is not really news."

"I wasn't finished." Shigure interupted. "We need to let him keep his memories, for he carries an even greater secret then our curse. I don't even think he'll allow us to get near him if we tried to erase them, anyway. The boy's got quite the temper. Not only that, he beat both Yuki and Kyo in a fight…how should I put this…with one arm tied behind his back."

Akito stood up. "Well then, it appears that I should pay him a visit." He looked Shigure full in the face. "I want to see him as soon as possible. It would be…rude, to not greet our guest properly. I should say hi to Tohru-san while I'm at it. Take me there when they get home from school." Shigure smiled.

"One more thing Akito, when you see him, do not, under any circumstances, imply that he is short. You will regret it."

The head of the family chuckled slightly. "Oh really, and what happens if I do?"

"I said you would regret it, and I really don't think Hatori want's to deal with a bleeding carcass when our guest is through with you." Akito laughed out loud.

"I'm looking forward to meeting this person. Now leave me be so I can sleep. Don't want to look tired for our guest." He lay down on his futon again, while Shigure walked out. Out in the hall he came across Hatori.

"You should really leave poor Akito alone, and after yesterday's fiasco I really don't think Ed-san's in the mood to see anyone new." He scolded, then noticed that Shigure was suddenly looking serious. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really, it's just…" Shigure drifted off, then finished. "Don't you think Ed-kun looks similar to him?" Hatori's eyes widened, then he nodded.

"He certainly does. Our high school reunion is coming up in a few day's so we should be able to ask our old teacher a few questions…"

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** That afternoon…**

"Wow, this world's history is certainly violent, not that my country's better, though…" Ed muttered under his breath.

"I guess instead of alchemy," Yuki added, "Our world took a turn towards physics and the laws of motions, see?" He pointed up to an airplane. They were on their way home after school ended. It had taken a while to get Ed's attention while he was in the library. He hadn't noticed them until Tohru went up and tapped him on the shoulder.

"You could say that again." Ed tore his gaze from the flying aircraft back to the others. "I couldn't find any books on alchemy, which really sucks." They walked up the stairs and to the front door.

"Oh well, guess your stuck here until we come up with a better idea." Kyo added. As they walked in they (more respectably, Ed) were greeted by a flying, bright yellow blur.

"EEEEEEEED-CHAAAAAN!!!!! It bowled him over, hugging him around the waist.

"YAAAAYY!!" Momiji said joyfully. "You're walking!! Let me see your fake leg!" He grabbed it and lifted it up, causing 'Ed-chan' to topple over. The energetic rabbit was pulled off of him by Haru.

"Momiji, leave him be, I'm certain he's not used to that leg."

"Naw, it's not that hard to master, you just gotta treat 'em right." He got up with difficulty, due to his missing arm.

"We forgot to lock the door again, didn't we?" Yuki asked. The carefree cow nodded.

"Sensei's not here, though. I think he's still up at the main house." He shrugged."Momiji wanted to see him, and I did too, especially after hearing about yesterday. Tori-nii told me about where you came from." Haru looked at Ed. "It's a shock, but probably not as much as our curse." Momiji, in the meantime, was bouncing up and down around them.

"Since you know about the curse, that means I don't have to be careful around Tohru-chan! I get to…" He jumped at Tohru, "…HUG HER!!!" yet another loud pop, more smoke, and a small, yellow rabbit was clutching Tohru. Ed knew he was going to have to get used to this.

"That doesn't mean you have to hug her at every moment!!!" Kyo pounded on the head of the poor bunny.

"Waah! Kyo's picking on me!" he complained.

After a swift seperation, Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo retired to their rooms to do homework, while Ed was left with the zodiac ox and rabbit. They sat at the table to rest.

"Tori-nii told me that your world was a world of alchemy, right?"

"That's correct, and it appears I can do it over here as well." The twosome looked confused, so Ed just decided to show them. "Wait here."

A few minutes later, the alchemist returned with a box of chalk, and began drawing a circle. Haru watched intently.

"It's similar to the one we saw on the night you showed up." He remembered.

"This is called a transmutation circle. Alchemists can pull energy from a place called The Gate, which they can open at will and cause an alchemic reaction to take place. By pressing your hands on it, you can transfer the energy by pulling it out from your body and into the circle, like so." He put his hand on the now finished circle, which glowed with a blue light. The floor boards began to pull together, and before long he had made a wooden figure of a rabbit. Momiji was delighted.

"That's so cool Ed-chan!" Momiji gazed at him pleadingly. "Teach me to do that!"

"I would if I could, but it takes a lot of training and knowledge to even get close to activating one." Ed gazed into the distance. "My brother and I learned how to do it when we were 5 years old. Our very first use use of alchemy was when we made a doll for our neighbor, Winry Rockbell. After that, mom praised us for it everytime we made something." A noise out in the hallway distracted them.

"I'm home everyone! Yuki, Kyo, the house better not be destroyed again."

"Ahhh, sensei's here." Haru pointed out. Momiji went to greet him.

"Shigure, you're not 'gonna believe what-" Ed saw him stop when he got into the hallway. Momiji's expression rapidly changed. "Akito…why are you here?" Haru's head snapped up, his eyes widening. A new, sinister voice, that reminded Ed inexplicably of Lust, replied.

"Why Momiji, when I heard that this house had a new resident, I simply had to come and see him." It said. Momiji nodded reluctantly and came back in, saying over his shoulder,

"Alright, just try not to stare too much." Ed sighed in exasperation, pulled put a book he got from the library, and picked up from where he left off earlier, not really wanting to get involved. Shigure came in first, behind him was a young man with short black hair, his clothing showing off his rather frail figure.

"So this is him." Akito sounded amused. "And why should I not stare?" he taunted at Momiji, who cowered in fear somewhat. Akito obviously hadn't noticed said resident's mutalated shoulder, which stuck out even with the clothing( borrowed from Kyo) he wore. Ed tried to ignore him, which didn't work.

"What's your problem?" He asked. "Cat got your tongue?" Ed shut the book and turned to face Akito, twisting his body so his right side was plainly visible.

Akito gasped loudy, and took a step back. Ed sighed again, "Stare all you want. It is not going to grow back. Oh, and my left leg's gone too." He pulled up his pantleg to show him, the metal of the prosthetic glinting in the sunlight. Akito continued to stare in shock, and Ed let him, until he spoke again.

"So, you're the 'god' of the Zodiac, right?" His voice snapped Akito out of his numb surprise. He nodded, and Ed continued. "Huh, not as daunting as I thought you were going to be." He noted. Akito appeared offended.

"Well, you're shorter then I expected." It was Yuki and Kyo, coming down the stairs to see what all the commotion was, that saved Akito's life. The twosome met Ed in midair as he flew towards Akito, and tackled him to the ground. The alchemist had every intention of murdering him.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A GRAIN OF SAND SO TINY THAT HE COULDN'T EVEN BE SEEN WITH A MICROSCOPE!?!?!?!?!?!?!" Ed struggled furiously against their

hold. "LET ME AT 'EM!!! LET ME AT 'EM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"SHUT UP!!!" Kyo yelled. Ed threw them both off of him and slammed the two into a wall, making a considerable hole.

"Ed, I'd appreciate it if you didn't destory my house while throwing those little tantrums of your's, even though you can fix it on an instant." Shigure was already getting used to this, and enjoying it somewhat. Tohru(Also downstairs, not really noticing Akito) paled at the sight of Kyo and Yuki's second (and third) beating.

"Wow Ed-chan!!!" Momiji said in awe. "No one's ever been able to throw Yuki into a wall. They all got thrown onto the floor before he could even let them! You must be really strong."

"You really 'outta show me those moves sometime." Haru asked. Ed shrugged.

"Alright, maybe at one point in time. Don't worry, I'll fix the wall." He picked up the chalk and started drawing on the wall. Akito had backed away once Ed started attacking, but now cautiously approached to see what he was doing.

"And how will that fix the wall?" he pressed. Ed didn't answer, just placed his hand on the finished circle. The following scene left Akito voiceless.

"What…was…that?" he said in a rather strained voice.

"Alchemy, the science of breaking down one material, and reassembling it into another." He turned to face Akito fully. "I'm not from this world. I'm from a world parallel to this one." Akito turned away sharply.

"Keep your memories, I don't want to know. Just…don't tell anyone about us, and we won't tell anyone about you." He walked away swiftly. "Shigure, take me home."

"Yes Akito." He answered, then faced the audience in the room. "Look's like you staying for a while, so make youself at home." He walked out.

"So, what happened between you and Akito?" Tohru asked.

"Not sure, he might just have had his perspective on life changed." Ed guessed.

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** 5 day's later…**

"Ahhhh….the nostalgic feeling of entering one's old high school is so wonderful." Ayame sighed. "I cannot remember a time when I did not once enjoy myself here."

All around the Mabudachi Trio were people of their high school days. The party was in full swing, as many people called out to their old friends and awkwardly greeted their old flames. Hatori wasn't paying much attention to the many familiar faces surrounding him, his gaze sought out one person in particular.

"Ayaa, I'm so fortunate to be able to see you often, unlike everyone else here." Shigure sighed. "I cannot imagine my life if I were never able to see you again."

"Gure-san, don't talk like that. I'll see you every day if it makes you feel better, and I'll be able to visit Yuki as well, and strengthen our bond of brotherhood." He gained a determined look. "I will never stop trying to gain his love even if it takes me a lifetime." Hatori gasped suddenly, spotting the person he was looking for, helping himself to some of the refreshments.

"Shigure, Ayame, he's here." He pointed towards their intended target. They looked in that direction. Ayame ran right up to said person.

"Sensei!!!!" he called out. The trio's old teacher turned in their direction.

"Shigure, Hatori, Ayame. How's my favorite students?" He ruffled Ayames hair affectionatly. "I see you let your hair grow out. It's quite a sight. And Shigure, I've read many of your books. They're amazing."

"Why, thank you Sensei!" he said happily. "They were no easy task writing." Hatori looked exasperated.

"Sensei, you must have really bad taste to actually like them. They make me sick." His teacher chuckled.

"You never had good taste in books yourself, Hatori." He teased. "I saw that you ordered a prosthetic leg from me recently, why was that." He looked surprised at Hatori's sudden change to seriousness.

"There's something we have to tell you, and I believe you may relate to it…"

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** Shigure Sohma's house, 7:00 P.M…**

"Dinner everyone!!" Tohru called out. "Get it while it's hot!" Ed dropped his book and made a beeline for the dining room.

"Man, I'm hungry." He complained. "What are we having?"

"Pork, beans, and curry." Ed sat down, along with the Zodiac members. "Also, I thought me might try something new tonight." She brandished a dish that had some sort of steamed greens on it. "Steamed kale."

"What's that?" Kyo asked. Tohru felt obliged to explain.

"It's a sort of lettuce, but it has more calcium in it than milk." Tohru was getting close to the S word. "I thought that since you didn't like milk Ed-san, then you could eat this instead."

Ed felt too flattered to actually be mad at her hinting to him being short. He didn't say anything, just tried it.

"…It's good." He said with a full mouth. Tohru looked happy. At that moment, Shigure came home, along with Hatori and, to Yuki's dismay, his older brother.

"YYYYYYUUUUUUUUUUKKKKKKKIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He said in a sing-song voice filled with joy. Before he could even attempt to embrace his brother, Yuki flicked a kale leaf into his face.

"I know I talked to you about greeting me like that." He said in annoyance. Ed had already met Ayame earlier that day, when Hatori came by with him to pick up Shigure for their high school reunion.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_"Do not fear Ed-kun!" Ayame had already heard of Ed's tale, and what he had tried to do for Al. "I will not tell anyone of your secret. Lord knows I would do the same for Yuki if he were in a situation like that! I would give up all my chances of being reincarnated and writhe in hell forever just to see my little brother live."_

_"Just shut up and leave already." Yuki shouted, trying to get his brother out of the house._

_____________________________________________________________________________________

To put Ed's opinion on Yuki's older brother shortly, he guessed that if you put Lt. Colonel Hughes and Colonel Roy Mustang together in a transmutation, Ayame would be the result.

"Now, now Yuki, that's no way to greet your older brother." He scolded gently. "I went to all this trouble to come see you and yet I'm still rejected! Oh, the pain!" He dramatically waved his hand in the air. Shigure reassuringly placed a hand on his shoulder.

"And I'll be here to wash away the anguish of denial Ayaa." Shigure simpered, while Kyo snorted.

"That's enough you two." Hatori walked in.

"I guess they put something in the drinks at that reunion of their's." Kyo commented. A new voice in the hall distracted them all, and, more importantly, shocked Ed to his core.

I see the pair of you are as close as always." A man walked into the room at the point, and stopped short after spotting Ed. He dropped his briefcase, and likewise Ed dropped his fork. Both objects fell with a clatter, it was the only sound they heard.

The man visiting Shigure's house had blonde hair that was tied back in a ponytail, a rough face and a thick beard. Behind his rimmed glasses were golden eyes that were wide with shock and confusion. After a short pause he finally spoke.

"Edward? Is that you?" His voice was quiet and tight. Ed had tensed up like the other house residents had never seen before, and the words he managed to sputter out caught all of them off guard.

"D-Dad?"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_**Shigure:**_ Oh, the hatred of cliffhangers runs deep within us all.

_**Edward:**_ *Pulls out a machete and charges at Hoeimheim* DIE!!!!!!!!!

_**Yuki:**_ *Tackles Ed to the ground* RUN YOU FOOL!!!!

_**Hoeimheim:**_ Gladly! See you in the next chapter!! *Runs away*

_**Momiji:**_ Hey guys, the author's not looking so well!

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ ...must...type...next...chapter...

_**Kyo:**_ You keep typing, your fingers will be reduced to nothing!!!

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Maybe...oh well...just drop a review on your way out, fellow fanfic writers, and please don't criticize too harshly...sleepy, sleepy, sleepy...*snores*


	5. Past Pain, Future Help

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Author's Notes:

School's finally been let out, yet I still feel the inexplicable need to do homework, finish projects, and study. Maybe a trip to the local hot springs will help… I apologize for not getting this chappie in by my said deadline. I meant to get it in, but was stuck at my dad's house with no Internet access. Sorry…

_**Inspiration for this chapter:**_ Easy Way Out by Elliot Smith, Bad Day by Daniel Powder

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. Plot belongs to me.

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Chapter 5

Past Pain, Future Help

**Shigure Sohma's House, 7:30...**

Time stretched out forever in that moment. No one was sure what to say, let alone what to think. Two pairs of golden eyes were locked upon each other, and both bodies were tensed up in a shocking similar way. The father and son were mirrors of one another; anyone with eyes could see that. Only when Ed dropped his frozen gaze for an unknown reason did they all remember how to breathe. The silence continued until Tohru stuttered,

"This is your father?" She said in a quiet whisper. Hohemheim dared to make a move after those words. He approached his son cautiously, not sure what to say after what had passed in 1921, during a London raid.

"Edward, why are you here, and in this time period?" The blonde man reached out in a gesture of hopeful reconciliation. His son looked up at his father, and the Hohemheim was not surprised to see the alchemist's expression filled with a spiteful hatred.

The knuckles on Ed's remaining hand had tightened until they were whiter than a sheet from the moment when he saw his father again. His swung back his hand, still in a fist, and it landed on his father's cheek with a loud CRUNCH.

Hohemheim of Light was sent into the wall, and Ed stood up quickly, clearly having the idea of attacking his father. Yuki and Kyo, acting on their instincts, immediately jumped across the table (spilling most of the food) and pinned Ed to the ground. The fiery youth struggled against their hold.

"Let me go!! I'm 'gonna kill that bastard!!!" Ed yelled, and directed his next rant towards Hohemheim. "How the hell are you still alive!? The last time I saw you was in 1921!!!" The two Zodiac members loosened their hold at this statement, and Ed charged, grabbing his father by the collar of his shirt and slamming his head onto the wall.

"Tell me! Did you make more Philosopher's Stones!? Why the hell would you do that?!?!" Shigure and Hatori rushed forward, and this time kept Ed in their firm grip. Ayame helped their teacher to his feet.

"Sensei, are you alright?" Hohemheim rubbed the back of his head.

"Yes, and don't worry about it. I deserved that." He looked back at Ed, who was still struggling to be free. "Hatori, Shigure, let him go. He has every right in the world to beat me." This shocked Ed, and he stopped his flailing. The Dog and Dragon put him down on the floor, and he walked right up to his father and slugged him again.

"Why are you still alive? I thought your body was rotting and you didn't have much time left." Hohemheim didn't reply right away, just turned to Tohru.

"Do you mind if I sit down?" She looked a little confused for a second.

"Umm...sure. Can I get you anything?" The aged alchemist shook his head, and then peered at Tohru more closely.

"Are you in anyway related to a man called Katsuya Honda?" He said as he took a spot at the table. Yuki and Kyo's eyes widened.

"Why, yes. He was my father." She responded, sounding very astonished. Hohemheim looked amused.

"Then you must be his daughter, Tohru Honda. He was an old student of mine, and had a very sharp mind. He was quite the polite one, and you talk just like him. I met you when he invited me over to brag about his newborn daughter. You probably won't remember me, though." He laughed a little, and then sighed. "I hadn't had much contact with your mother after he died, but I sent her a little money every now and again." Tohru gasped then.

"I do remember seeing you at one point, after Mom died. You were there at her funeral." He nodded.

"Yes, Kyoko was a remarkable woman, and you were lucky to have her as a mother. Strange how you take after Katsuya." Ed interrupted them then.

"The fact that you knew her mother and father proves how old you are." He started shaking with anger. "Why are you still alive? You showed me yourself, your body was rotting, and you planned to die in this body." His father rubbed his forehead with two fingers, groaning. The group stared at him in anticipation, minus the Mabudachi Trio. It was obvious they had heard this before. He took a deep breath, and began his tale.

"I thought I barely had any time left. I was planning to die in the body your mother loved. I'm still going to die, and it won't be very long from now." He pulled up his sleeve, revealing the rotting flesh that marked when the soul wasn't able to sustain it. Yuki jumped back, Kyo gasped loudly, and Tohru let out a shocked cry. Shigure, Hatori, and Ayame just tried not to look at it. Despite the fact that his father's appearance had barely changed, the rotten flesh was in much worse condition then it was before. Ed glared at it, and then at his father. Hohemheim continued.

"When Dante sent me into The Gate, and when I pulled myself back together and escaped, my fragmented soul had fused with other souls, and extended my lifespan. Another thing I discovered was that this world slowed the effects of my rotting body. I found myself with longer time before I died, so I devoted it into research of mechanical limbs, since this world clearly did not have automail. I moved out here to Japan after the bombing, because there were multiple people who lost their limbs. I did legs, and more recently, I completed an arm model." He noted Ed's missing arm. "I can get one fitted for you, but it's still a prototype. It wasn't until just this morning that I perfected it…..I digress."

"I began working as a teacher about 40 years ago, looking for something better to use my time with. I jumped from school to school to avoid raising suspicions about my unchanging body. Along the way, I met Tohru's father, and encouraged him to become a teacher as well. Then I came to their school." He indicated the three oldest Zodiac members. "They discovered the truth about my body, and likewise I discovered the Zodiac curse." Yuki turned to Shigure.

"You knew about where Elric-san came from all along?" Shigure nodded.

"Yes, we did. But we swore to him not to tell anyone, under any circumstances, and he swore not to expose our curse." His gaze then rested on Ed, who was doing exactly what he did when he first found out about the curse: Just keeping his head down and not saying anything.

"Ed-kun, when you appeared, I knew immediately where you had come from. But we didn't know that you were related to Sensei." Ayame told his opinion on all this then.

"When Tori-san brought news of you and your possible relation to Sensei, I was quite amazed. Sensei never really mentioned you at all. And when I met you earlier, it was clear that you were his son. You look exactly like him." Their teacher made a gesture, one that asked Ayame for the floor. Yuki's brother obliged, and Hohemheim wrapped up his story with an interesting theory.

"I believe you ended up in this time period because your body was like a magnet in that state, and was drawn to mine. I live a good distance away from here, but since you, my son, are my own flesh and blood, it was attracted to mine. I'm still not sure why you ended up in Shigure's backyard, but it's plausible that you couldn't come directly to me. It's like last time you where here, when only your soul made it through The Gate and it attached to that other Edward who was physically similar to you."

"You might have also hit a time lapse, and that was why you didn't end up in 1921. However, if you had the means to go back, you would end up back in the time period from which you left." Finishing that, he went on to another subject.

"By now I'm a retired billionaire, though I would trade it all, if I could just go home, and be buried beside Trisha's grave." He head sank into his hands, and his voice became laced with despair. "Why did she have to die?"

"Because of the pain you put her through." Ed answered, gaining everyone's attention and clenching his hand again. "Mom waited all that time for you to come home, and you neither wrote a letter nor called." He shot daggers at his father with his eyes, and got angrier with each word. "She got sick, and dealt with that for years and didn't tell anyone. Mom cried when she was alone. She loved you as much as we loved her, despite what you were, and what you had done in the past. And then you left, and her life drained away waiting for you." He pulled back his hand. "YOU DIDN'T EVEN COME TO HER FUNERAL, YOU BASTARD!!!" With this last word, Ed sent another punch at Hohemheim, who just took the blow without flinching. Ed was breathing heavily; his father spit out some blood, and started talking again.

"Not a day went by without me feeling the guilt of my mistakes." He groaned. "I didn't deserve children like you and Alphonse. I was a monster, sacrificing the lives of so many others just so I could jump bodies and cheat death. I created Philosophers Stones because I was afraid of death back then. Now I just wish that I could die, and be with Trisha." He stopped, seeing as Edward was calming down. The blonde youth's gaze dropped to the floor again.

"…Al died saving my life. I just wanted him to live, so I planned to give up my life for his: an Equivalent Exchange. I didn't die, though. I ended up here, and I couldn't save him." His voice shook. "I don't understand. I saw Al get put back together at The Gate. Was Dante right, and I got something for nothing, or did I only succeed in trapping myself here?" Hohemheim remained thoughtful for a moment.

"You two boys had a long journey together." Ed lifted his head back up. "Those four years of hard labor and endless searching; the blood, sweat, and tears; the anguish of losing the people you cared about; don't you think, that was the price you paid?" Ed sighed, and remained silent. His father got up from the table.

"…I'll get a new arm for you, so you can do stuff again. It won't come around for a while, though. Oh, and your free to come live with me anytime you want." He turned to Hatori. "It's late, and I need to need getting home." Ed had completely forgotten about the others in the room, so he stood up and walked to the doorway, wanting to avoid any awkward situations. Tohru noticed that he hadn't touched his food.

"Ed-san, aren't you hungry?" She piped up weakly. The orphan got a simple response.

"…Lost my appetite…" he muttered, and climbed the stairs slowly, leaving the three other teens to ponder about all this. When he reached his room he plopped down on the futon and passed out the moment his head hit the pillow.

Outside, Hatori and Ayame were escorting their teacher to his car, when his next words surprised them.

"You know, it might be a good idea to just let Edward stay here. I think being among other people, especially your kind, would be good for him. Let him try to relax, he's been through a lot lately, both here and back in Amestris." Ayame had lost his bounce after hearing the tale of his teacher again, and now had regained it. He added an interesting statement a second later.

"I believe that if he's around Tohru-san for a good length of time, he might just be able to start healing. She healed me some, and most of the other Zodiac members can't help but be drawn to her, especially my dear brother and Kyonkichi-kun." Hohemheim chuckled happily.

**

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**

**The next day…**

Breakfast was spent in an awkward silence, even though Ed spent the morning in his room, obviously sulking about last night. When he finally came downstairs Tohru and the other two Zodiac members had left for school, leaving Shigure to torment his editor over the phone about finishing a manuscript. The Dog didn't notice the quiet alchemist until he heated up the leftovers from the morning's meal.

"Good morning!' Shigure said, coming into the kitchen and placing his hand on the boys shoulder. "What do you plan on doing today?" Ed shrugged.

"Same as always, go to the library and read."

"I was wondering if you'd get some soy sauce on your way back. Tell that to Tohru when she picks you up after school." He handed him some money. "Now off you go. I've got some business to attend to."

"And by business, you mean poking fun at that poor woman." He could hear Mitchan yelling at Shigure from the phone in the other room. He clearly just dropped the phone and went to the kitchen to talk to Ed.

"I wonder if she realized that I'm not even on the phone anymore." Shigure laughed. "She's so very gullible and obsessed with getting my novels in. Mitchan fails to understand that I need time to get into a creative spirit."

"Alright, just don't keep her guessing for too long." Edward took his food out of the microwave and walked out the door. "I'll be back later!" He called over his shoulder.

"See 'ya!"

Ed stopped at a park and ate on a bench, ignoring the looks everyone gave him. He was impatient for a new arm and finally putting a stop to these curious glances. Ed got enough of that back in Amestris. About halfway through his meal the alchemist heard a voice called out to him.

"Hey, Ed-kun!" He looked up to see Haru approaching him. His eyes widened.

"Haru, aren't you suppose to be in school?" he asked. Haru gave him a look that a bull gives to an oncoming train.

"I thought today might be a good day to skip. My stupid teacher's just giving out lectures on every subject today." He sighed. "I ditched, and decided to go for a walk. And you?"

"I was on my way to the library when you showed." He shoved an omelet whole into his mouth. Haru then decided to ask him a favor.

"Hey, can you show me those fighting moves of yours now, you said you would." Ed finished off his breakfast and turned to him.

"Alright but don't saw I didn't warn you." He got up. "Is there anywhere we won't attract attention?" Haru thought about it.

"I could always take you up to the Sohma estate, but Akito's still a little sore about you. That and I think something happened that messed with his head. He won't talk to anyone now, and flat out refuses to come out of his room. I think a good spot would be at Kazuma-sama's dojo." He beckoned him to come along. "Come on, I'll show you.

* * *

**Kazuma Sohma's Dojo…**

They arrived within an hour, and Ed was greeted at the front door by a man in his 40's with dark brown hair tied in a ponytail.

"Kazuma-sama," Haru said. "Ed-kun promised me he'd teach me his fighting styles, so can we use your dojo to spar?" The man turned to look at Ed.

"Is this the one who Shigure was talking about, the one that beat both Kyo and Yuki?" he tipped his head to the side slightly. "Strange, I thought he'd be a lot taller." Once again, another Sohma family member was caught off guard. Kazuma barely managed to block the second blow.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A RUNT SO TINY THAT HE COULD FIT INSIDE A PEANUT SHELL?!?!?!" The dojo master never thought he'd have so much trouble deflecting blows from someone with a missing arm. Ed's strikes were fast and accurate, and he did not hold back.

_"Damn!"_ The Oya-baka thought. _"I've never seen moves like this, so I have no way to counter them."_ Finally, Ed managed to grab him by his ankle and trip him. It was followed closely by a kick to the chest. Kazuma was sent to the floor; fortunately by that time Ed had stopped his rant. He got up shakily from the floor.

"Where did you learn to fight? Those moves are unknown to me." Ed grinned mischievously.

"Ya' know, that's the 4th time someone's asked me that. I may be strong, but you wouldn't last 5 seconds against my younger brother, Al. I have never won in a fight against him. _Ever_."

"Well, then." Haru shrugged. "I suppose that there is no point in fighting with you. If you're strong enough to throw Kazuma-sama onto the floor, then you're practically unstoppable." The blonde youth shook his head in disagreement.

"I was only able to beat him 'cause my fighting style is different. My brother and I were taught by a woman named Izumi Curtis, who also taught us more about alchemy; a more advanced kind of alchemy." Kazuma looked curious.

"What kind of woman was she?" Both men were surprised at Ed's sudden change in composure. A more terrified composure.

"_She was the scariest person I ever met…_" His voice shook with terror, "_Multiple times while we trained she had us both within an inch of our lives._"

"Really?" Kazuma stated. "I hope to meet this person at one point in time." Haru tapped Ed on the shoulder.

"Can you show me those moves now?" Ed snapped out of his terrifying memories, and sighed.

"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you!" And the demonstration began…

* * *

**That afternoon…**

Hastuharu was panting in exhaustion. The alchemist was not only a genius, but a very talented fighter, and was to be feared. Ed was also sweaty, not used to the fighting style here, and at one point Haru actually had him on the ground, but not for long. Ed got right back up and sent him flying.

"I really want to meet this teacher of yours, and learn from her." Not long after Haru finally snapped from the frustration of being unable to beat him and went Black. The blonde youth had a little harder time flooring him, but managed it. Hatsuharu was just now shifting out of Black mode.

"You even so much as ask her to teach you she'll probably have you in a bloody mess before you can even finish the question." Ed commented. "That's what she did to me and Al when we asked her."

"If this is what you can do with one arm, then I shudder to imagine what you can do with two." Haru panted. Ed had told him about his father's promise to build him a prosthetic one. He then laughed.

"Alright, then I'll really be able to kick ass again!" Kazuma looked up at the door.

"I see my son is here." Ed glanced to see Tohru and Kyo standing at the door. "Hello you two."

"Kazuma-san, hello." She bowed "and hello two the pair of you, too!" Kyo walked up to his father figure.

"What are they doing here?" He asked. "And you were supposed to be at school today." He pointed an accusing figure at the beat up Haru, who shrugged again.

"I didn't want to have to sit through lectures all day, so I played hooky and ran into this guy," He jabbed a finger at Ed. "at the park. He promised to show me some fighting moves. He even beat Kazuma-sama." Kyo whipped around to face his master.

"Is he serious?" He asked in a shocked voice. He nodded.

"As much as it pains me to say it, yes. He beat me, and in record time I might add." Tohru looked astonished.

"Wow Ed-san. You must be really good at fighting then. I bet your teacher was a great person!" Ed's vibe went down to another scared one.

"_Great, you say?_" His voice was weak. "_She'd kill me if she found out I trapped myself here! I don't want to think about what she'd do if I ever get back…I had a pretty short life…_"

"E-Ed-san, are you ok?" Tohru got all concerned again. Ed shook himself out of it.

"I'm fine. Let's just go home. Oh," He suddenly remembered. "And we're out of soy sauce, so Shigure said that I pick some up on my way back."

"Uh, alright." They made for the door, but was stopped by Kyo.

"Hey now, aren't you 'gonna spar with me?" He asked, sounding very annoyed. "I still owe you for beating me the first time." Ed pouted.

"Well excuse me for being hungry. I want to go home and eat something. I've been fighting with these guys all day. Besides, Haru got to me first so you'll just have to wait your turn." Kyo charged, yelling that he'll just make him fight him, when the poor cat got the breath knocked out of him by a sharp knee jab. He fell to the floor in a heap, while Ed just grabbed the panicking Tohru by the arm and dragged her away. Kazuma walked up to the Ko-baka, and helped him get up.

"Shishou, I need to get stronger and beat him! So teach me more!" Kazuma smiled at his foster child.

"Alright." and the day's lesson began.

* * *

**The city streets…**

"What's Yuki up to?"

"He's at a student council meeting, and won't be back until later." She replied, then added, "You're really good at all sorts of things, aren't you Ed-san?" The alchemist smiled. The twosome finished their shopping and started their way back home.

"I really don't wanna' brag, but you've got a point. It was that genius that got me into the military." Tohru looked surprised.

"Military? But aren't you too young?" She asked. Ed then realized that he had not told her everything about his country, so he felt obliged to explain.

"My country is run by a military dictatorship. Some of the highest ranked soldiers was a branch of the military known as State Alchemist. The rank is equal to that of a Major, so I actually had a lot of power." He gazed up at the bright orange and pink clouds. "My title was the FullMetal Alchemist, and each year I had to get assessment otherwise they'd take my license away. A State Alchemist was recognized and proved of his title by a silver pocket watch." He glanced back at her, who was taking in every word. "I got in because of my ability to transmute without a transmutation circle." The orphan looked confused.

"But aren't you only suppose to do it with a circle?" She asked, and Ed explained.

"Very few people can do it. My teacher could, and soon Al could, sometime after I learned how. You do that by clapping your hands together, but since I only have one right now, I can't demonstrate." Tohru smiled even wider.

"Your world sounds like a great place to live."

"It's not all that great. It has multiple downsides." Ed said sadly. "There were several wars and a lot of riots. The two most recent ones was the Lior Riot, and the Ishbal Massacre." Tohru stared in shock. "The Ishbal war was the worst. There was an ethnic group called Ishbalan's that lived out in the desert east of our country. They believed in a god called Ishbala. Out there, in the harsh dust and wind, a land of rock and glaring sun, it is no surprise that a religion of such a strict code evolved." He sat down to rest on a bench. Tohru sat down as well and made herself comfortable.

"Tensions between the military and that country rose. There were many Ishbalans that moved to our homeland and began to spread their religion around. The military thought they were trying to raise some sort of rebellion, so they put a stop to that. Soon, the spark that lit the gasoline of war was when a military officer accidentally shot an Ishbalan child."

"War came to be, and it was at its bloodiest when they sent State Alchemists to the front line and use their abilities to defeat the Ishbalan forces. They also passed a bill stating that all people with any traits of the Ishbalan people, including fellow officers, to be locked up. The worst part of it was they gave the right to kill the people itself. No one was spared, not even children."

"My superior officer, Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, also fought in the war. His trademark ability was incinerating people alive, and they would be reduced nothing but ashes. He tried to kill himself sometime later, for what he had done, but couldn't do it. Now matter what every one else did in their lives after that war, they were never the same. That war took the lives of my childhood friend's parents, even though they were just doctors, and she never got over it completely." He noticed that Tohru face was turning rather green, so he decided to end that subject.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She shook her head.

"It's alright. I guess I'm really lucky to have never really been part of something like that." She got up and began walking again, Ed followed.

"Everyone's been through serious trauma at least once in their life. The Zodiac members especially. Akito-san, I don't know if he put them through that, but, they all seem hurt, in someway or another. And then there's you; you lost your family, and you're fighting with your dad." Tohru put on a scared face when Ed's hand tightened into a fist. "I-I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean to-" Ed shushed her with a finger to her lips.

"It's ok. I'm still angry with him, I'll tell you that, but," Ed sighed. "It's not as bad as before. When I was younger, I couldn't say I hated him. I didn't remember him enough. I just pinned all the blame on him when mom died. She always loved it when Al and I used alchemy to make her something. She said it reminded her of Dad."

"Maybe it's because she was trying to connect the pair of you with Hohenheim-san." Tohru commented. Ed looked confused, so Tohru went ahead and explained.

"When my father died, Mom became very depressed, and didn't really speak to me at all during the next few weeks. A few people at his cremation said that I was nothing like him, and that I was just the child of another man. They thought Mom had an affair, because I was nothing like him. Mom said the way we talk is similar, though. I guess I got an idea in my head back then, and started talking like him, so Mom wouldn't go away, and leave me. To be honest, I thought my father was a bad man."

She began to tear up. "I thought he was going to take my mom away, and leave me behind. I just wanted to have my mother with me, so I wanted to become like my father, so she would stay. If it was for myself, I would've done anything, and treated my father as though he was bad. I'm such a…terrible person." She began crying in earnest.

"_So she's saying that Mom praised us for our alchemy, because she wanted to tie us and Dad together?"_ Ed thought. _"Mom was devastated when Dad left. I wonder if, when we first used alchemy, she felt happy, that we were going to fill the void."_ He gaze turned to the heavens.

"_Were you…alone, and sad, on a level that not even we could help? Did you not want to be left behind either? And was Al and I not enough to get rid of the pain? If we had been more aware of the hurt you were going through, would you still be here? And were we any different, when we tried to bring you back?"_

An unwanted memory filled his vision.

* * *

_"Al…Alphonse say something. Al no!! Stay with me!!!!" Blood poured endlessly from the stump of a leg that had been snatched by the long, black tendrils. All that occupied his mind was his brother's face, pale with terror, as he was pulled from his only remaining family._

_"Damn it!! This wasn't supposed to…..NOOOO!!! He's gone!!" He looked up from his hunched position on the floor, towards the circle he had created. Something was moving in the center. Hope filled him._

_"Mom, is that…is that you?" The smoke cleared, but it wasn't his mother. It was something that could only be seen in a nightmare, and Ed was wishing that this was a nightmare, and that he could wake up from it. He screamed in complete terror, the sound echoing off the walls of the basement._

_"No…this wasn't supposed to happen!!" He backed away in complete fear, and then spotted at antique suit of armor in the corner of the room. Loneliness threatened to overcome him._

_"Give him back!" He struggled to the armor, pulled it down, and began to draw a circle with his blood. "That's my brother, damn you!!! Take anything, my other leg, my arm! You can even have my heart!!! JUST GIVE HIM BACK!!! I DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND!!!" The sound of a clap followed his cries of determination._

* * *

Ed pulled himself back to the present, and realized he was very close to tears. _"Al and I… tried to bring you back, because we didn't want to be left behind either. Our way of trying to keep up with you was different, but still, it was the same feeling; the feeling of being left behind. And when Al was taken by The Gate, I felt left behind, and very afraid."_ he looked back at the brunette, who was still sobbing.

"_If someone else had told me this, I would have denied it all together. But if someone who had been though that, afraid of losing that person, like her, told me that, maybe it would be easier to accept."_ He reached over and rubbed Tohru reassuringly on the shoulder.

"Ya' know, I've been thinking: If my mom had your mother's strength, and was able to pull through the loss, maybe she would've made it." He remaining hand traveled to her face and he dried her tears. "She must've tied Alphonse and myself to Dad so she wouldn't feel left behind. We didn't realize it ourselves. We were there for her, just not enough. You were there for your mother, I know you were, and she was able to find reasons to keep living, so maybe what you did was a good thing." Tohru managed a smile.

"Maybe, if you hadn't learned alchemy, Ed-san, and reminded your mom of Hohenheim-san, she would've died much sooner. You and Alphonse-san were there for her until the very end, and I'm certain it made her very happy." They were at the steps turning into Shigure's house, and the sun had finally sunken beyond the horizon. Ed grinned back at her.

"Thanks Tohru." They turned and walked into the house.

"Hey, can we have something new for dinner?" He asked as he slipped off his shoes.

"Sure, I'll try a new recipe tonight. I just need the book. Oh, and can you put the groceries away while I look, please?"

"Sure." Ed walked into the kitchen, and was in the midst of putting away the milk (holding it very gingerly) when some sort of screaming coming from the living gained his attention. With a pang of panic he first thought it was Tohru, and then realized that the voice sounded different.

"Don't get mad…don't get mad… DON'T GET MAD!!!" Ed dropped what he was doing and sprinted into the room.

"Tohru, what's wrong?!" The sight he saw stopped him short.

Tohru was attempting to approach another woman on the living room floor. She had long black hair and was looking terrified of Tohru. She scouted away from her, but her head snapped up when the alchemist called out worriedly for Tohru and ran into the room. She stared at him with eyes that signified that she was delirious from fever. Ed stood frozen until she spoke.

"…Haru…Haru…HARU!!!" She got up, jumped at him and embraced him tightly. Ed stumbled back from her sudden hug, and then fell down when a puff of smoke came from her. In the girls place was a midnight black horse, her clothes strewn out all over the place. Ed backed off quickly.

"I didn't mean for that to happen!" He shouted. Tohru hurried over to the unconscious horse.

"Isuzu-san!" Shigure came running in then.

"What's all the commotion?" He gazed at the horse lying on the floor, and quickly put two and two together.

"We best wait until she changes back, and then get her to bed." He turned to the astonished blonde youth. "This is Isuzu 'Rin' Sohma, the Horse of the Zodiac."

"Yeah, I figured as much. She mistook me for Haru and hugged me; guess she was pretty delirious at the moment." Shigure smiled slightly.

"That would make sense. She was once in a relationship with him, but broke up for some reason. From the looks of things, I'd say she's still crazy about him." After the Zodiac Dog said that, another puff of smoke filled the room, leaving a very naked woman on the floor. Ed got up and ran out of the room after she changed back. When he saw her again a few minutes later she was wearing a kimono, and was carried by Shigure up to Tohru's room. He came down soon afterwards.

"Tohru-kun doesn't want to leave Rin, so looks like we're stuck with take-out food tonight." He got a phone book from the shelf. "What do you want?" Yuki walked in after he said that, back form his student council meeting.

"Rin's here, why?" He inquired. Shigure shrugged.

"Not sure, but she snuck in here and thought Ed-kun was Haru-kun, so she hugged him and transformed. Oh, and welcome back." Edward chuckled slightly.

"She sacred me half to death when she came at me like that; I honestly thought she was a complete psycho."

"Yeah, Rin can be something like that occasionally." Yuki commented. "In the meantime, since Honda-san's busy, I'll just cook dinner.' He turned to go to the kitchen, but was held back by Shigure suddenly grabbing his shoulder.

"Nonsense Yuki, you know very well that you can't cook. I'll order something to go." He dramatically put his hand on his forehead. "I don't mean to be blunt, but your cooking's terrible." Yuki shooed the Zodiac Dog's hand away.

"I don't think it's that hard to just make some stew, so I'll spare you the trouble of money. Elric-san, what would you like." He looked at Ed in hope that he would back him up on this, but was disappointed.

"To be honest, I think I'd rather starve." He stated. Yuki finally caved in.

"Alright, we'll order out. Oh, and Kyo's staying at Kazuma-sama's place tonight, so it might just be quiet this evening."

The Rat was proved wrong when they heard yelling coming from the upstairs room when they started to tuck into dinner. One voice sounded desperate, the other sounded angry. Thumping could be heard a minute later, and Tohru came racing down the stairs and ran outside, calling for Rin. The three boys followed her a moment later.

They hurried outside and stopped in astonishment at the sight before them. Rin was clinging to Tohru and crying her eyes out, her shoulders shaking. Tohru hugged back, rubbing her on the back. They watched in silence for a second before Shigure said,

"She should've just given in and cried to her long ago." He turned around and walked back into the house.

* * *

**Three days later…**

Things finally calmed down around Shigure's house. Mostly because everyone was there to just eat and sleep. With Kyo training at Kazuma's house constantly, Tohru visiting Rin at the hospital regularly, Yuki at council meetings, Shigure working on his next novel, and Ed going through the library's books, the house lay quiet for some time. The state of that changed in one day, as Ed walked home from another trip to the library. He stopped at a nearby café for something to drink, and began to consider his options about living here, possibly for good.

_"I don't know if I can get into a school without some form of reference."_ The alchemic prodigy contemplated as he sipped coffee, ignoring the stare of the waitress. _"I can't rely on Shigure forever, so maybe I could join a university and work as a scientist, or take up my father's business, and design mechanical limbs. Heh, Winry would probably laugh at me for that. Not to mention hit me with a wrench."_ He paid for his mocha and headed back.

_"I'm finally starting to grasp all those physics equations, and the advanced theories of many scientists."_ He sighed inwardly. _"I know that if I introduce alchemy into this world, it wouldn't be long for some form of war to break out, and wars here are already bad enough."_ He walked up the stairs to the front door. _"I wonder if, when I finally get an arm, I'll be able to…"_ He froze at the entrance to the hallway, gasping quietly. Tohru was leaning over the phone, her face in her hands, sobbing quietly. Ed ran up to her.

"Tohru, what happened, what's wrong?" She didn't say anything, just dropped to her knees and continued her crying. For once in long time, the Fullmetal Alchemist had absolutely no idea what to do.

* * *

_**Haru:**_ The author's crying again.

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ I'M SORRY!! When I wrote that emotional scene between Ed and Tohru, I kept tearing up!!

_**Tohru:**_ It's alright, no need to cry.

_**Rin:**_ …

_**Yuki:**_ I note that we're going to be seeing some scenes from the manga from here on out.

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ *Sniff* Mmm-hmm. Well, you know the drill, R&R, and please try not to kill me for this cliffhanger. I will update ASAP!, and hopefully before I leave for DisneyWorld! See you all soon!


	6. Lost and Found

_**Author's Notes:**_ Is it just me, or are these chapters getting longer as I get further into the story? I think they are, and soon it might get to a point where the future chapters will be roughly the same length. Oh well, enjoy the chapter, all 8,169 words!

_**Inspiration for this Chapter:**_ Blurry by Puddle of Mudd, Easier to Run by Linkin Park, and Clumsy by Fergie (Still not sure why it inspired me…)

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. Plot belongs to me.

* * *

Chapter 6

Lost and Found

**City Park, 1:30 P.M…**

Ed learned later from a very somber Shigure that a member of the Zodiac lost their parents in a car crash. The house had a very tense atmosphere that night, and was spent in silence, only broken by Tohru's crying. Even a week later, after the wake and funeral, nothing was truly right. The house was quieter than before, when everyone started going back to school and Shigure spent lots of time at the Sohma estate. The otherworldly alchemist was then left to visit the library and take walks, which he was doing right now.

He was currently sitting on a park bench atop a hill overlooking the rest of the city. It made him feel better to get out of the silent house, but he couldn't escape thinking about the incident.

_"I know what it's like to lose your parents." He_ thought. _"Al and I should know this, Winry as well. I remember back when her parents died, she spent all night at the cemetery. And when we came for her the next day, she was gone. The two of us found her by the river, crying. I now know why we didn't approach her, it was because there was no form of comfort we could offer Winry. We couldn't console because we didn't know how to relate to her loss."_

_"Winry was there for us when we lost Mom. She knew what we were going through. However, it didn't sway us from trying to bring her back to life. I just hope that, with Tohru losing her father, and her mom in a car accident, she can relate to that poor kid's loss. I suppose I should see myself as lucky; at least my dad's still alive."_ He got up and stretched his stiff muscles, groaning as he did so. After Hohemheim learned that his son was wearing borrowed clothing, he sent him a closetful of various outfits. He was now wearing a pair of boots, black pants, a black T-shirt, and a red sweater. It was as close as he could get to his old clothing.

"Well, there's no point in sulking about it forever." He said aloud, and began to work his way down the hill.

* * *

**Kaibara Public High School, 1:30 P.M…**

"Damn it all Tohru, I can't take it anymore!!" Uo slammed her fist into the desk, causing the startled brunette's gaze to shoot up from her math book, and into the angry face of her yankee friend. Hana stood beside her, looking very worried.

"Wha-what do you mean, Uo-chan?" She stuttered. Her overprotective friend sighed in extreme exasperation.

"I can't take that look on your face anymore. You've been depressed for days and it's driving me _nuts_! You won't tell us why and I can't stop worrying! Now what's wrong? Is someone picking on you? Because if they are, I will make sure they rue the very day they set eyes on you!!" She cracked her knuckles threateningly, gazing around the room as if daring anyone to challenge her. Hana stepped up to the plate.

"Tohru-kun I know that this is no small matter. I heard your voice about a week ago-it was practically a scream-from Hokkaido. I could hear you from up that far, and if I had not been on a trip I would've come running."

"And don't try to deny it. Something's up because The Prince and Orange-top are acting this way as well. They've stopped bickering and spend their time sulking." Uo gazed at her intently, as if to get her to spill. But it wasn't the look that made Tohru talk.

_"Oh no, now I'm making everyone else worried!" _She thought, and then decided there was no use in grieving about it forever.

"I'm sorry, Uo-chan, Hana-chan. It's just… a relative of Yuki and Kyo's just lost their parents in a car crash, and Mom died in a car crash so…" She trailed off into tears. Hana hugged her very tightly.

"It's all OK Tohru-kun. You and Arisa can come stay at my house tonight if you need to get away from that house. It will be just like old times, when Kyoko-san would go out for work and you'd stay at our place." Uo rubbed her brunette friend on the shoulder.

"Anytime you need to take a break, just let us know. Remember, 'the world isn't so bad if you can just get out of it.'" Hana laughed.

"Wasn't that from an old "Calvin and Hobbes" comic?" She reminded her. The yankee nodded.

"Yup, and I still enjoy them!" At that moment the bell for lunch rang. "Time to eat, what do you guys want for lunch?"

"**Yakiniku**." The psychic stated simply. It was Uo's turn to laugh.

"Again? We had that yesterday! But OK!" She turned to leave the room. "Come on Tohru!!"

"I'll be a minute!" She began to pack her things up, and did not notice Yuki approaching her until the last moment.

"I overheard that, and I'm sorry Honda-san, we haven't been much help lately, and only making you worry." She shook her head.

"It's alright Yuki-kun. I've been making Uo-chan and Hana-chan worry as well."

"Kyo's not himself either. Ever since the funeral he's been as quiet as can be. He doesn't even want to pick a fight anymore, not even with Elric-san."

"Speaking of which," Tohru asked. "What's he been up to lately?"

"Shigure-san's told me that he's just been out of the house and only bothers to show up at dinnertime. I think he might be at the library, or just wandering around." The Rat sighed. "We haven't been much help to him, only a bit of a burden. He must have so much on his mind right now: the curse, the fact that his father's still alive, doubting whether his brother's alive or not, and trying to get back to his world. He must feel…out of place here. Lonely is a better way to put it. And truth be told, I think that he's homesick. He'll never admit it though." Neither of them saw that Kyo was listening, and jumped when he spoke.

"I think we should do something for the little squirt." He suggested. "I don't know if the rest of you guys have noticed, but every time I see him, he seems pretty tense. His muscles have got to be sore by now."

"That's a great idea Kyo-kun!" Tohru said happily. "Maybe we should take him on a trip or something!"

"Why not the Sohma Hot Springs Resort?" Yuki wondered. "We have the next two days off, and the mineral water would be good for his system. I think that we need this vacation as well. We just need to get away from the rest of the family as well. Shigure says that Akito's worse off, what with the funeral arrangements and finding out about Elric-san. He's taken to locking himself in his room and not coming out for hours, not even to eat." Tohru, as usual, looked worried.

"Is there anything I can do for him?" She asked. Yuki smiled.

"I think that you being there would only stress him further, he needs to just…get up." In Yuki's perspective, that was a short way to put it. There were a lot of things that he considered to be in need of change in Akito's attitude. Tohru hesitantly let the subject go.

"Alright….hey, do you…think we should bring…_her_…on the trip?" Both Zodiac members knew who she was talking about. Kyo shook his head in disagreement.

"No, we shouldn't. As far as I know, since the accident, she hasn't uttered a single word, and after the funeral, not even you could coax her out of her closet. _That's_ saying something, and I think it's best that we just leave her be until she finishes grieving."

"Amazing, Kyon-sama The Dim is using logic." Yuki clapped his hands mockingly. "That's' an excellent start." A vein pulsed on Kyo's forehead.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" The Cat said through gritted teeth.

"I didn't know you could actually use your brain. I'm impressed."

"SHUT UP 'YA DAMN RAT!!!" Kyo leaped at him, and was immediately knocked back into the desks. Yuki exhaled in delight.

"Ahhh, it's good to finally win in a fight. I've lost so many to Elric-san lately."

"Hey are you three 'gonna keep talking all day or do you 'wanna eat lunch?" Both cursed members started at the sound of Uo's voice. She stood there smirking, Hana behind her. "Nevertheless, it's god to see the pair of you fighting again."

"By the way," Hana added "I'm taking Tohru-kun back to my house tonight, so you're both on your own tonight."

"Well, looks like I'm cooking dinner again tonight." He stood up to leave, while enduring the angry refusals from Kyo.

"No way 'ya damn rat! Remember the last time you tried to cook?"

* * *

_"What the hell is this supposed to be? It smells like sewage!" Kyo shouted angrily._

_"I remember seeing something similar in a garbage can once. I think it was vomit." Shigure grimaced at the bowl of 'stew' in front of him. In truth, it looked nothing like stew, rather like the remains of some poor animal that was run over multiple times, left to sit on the side of the road for days, and then tossed into a muddy puddle. Yuki scooped up a spoonful._

_"Just because it looks bad doesn't mean it won't taste good." He shoved it in his mouth, only to spit it back out a second later.  
_

**(I only had Tohru spend the night at Hana's just so I could have Kyo bring this up. =P)**

* * *

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about." Yuki defended.

"You can't be serious! You were sick for the rest of the night after that mouthful."

"If you don't like my cooking, then you can just starve tonight" And with that, he walked out of the room.

"Um….I can stay home and cook tonight, if you want that Kyo-kun." He sighed again.

"Just go have fun with your friends, I'll call Shigure and let him know what that damn Yuki's planning." Tohru continued her concerned expression, and then smiled brightly.

"OK! Now then," She grabbed his wrist. "Let's go eat!" Kyo grinned back, blushing slightly, and let her lead him to the door.

"I still want Yakiniku." Hana reminded. All three laughed lightly.

* * *

**That Evening…**

"A hot springs trip, huh?" Ed repeated as he finished off his rice ball. Dinner was, once again, takeout. Kyo had called Shigure right after school, and thus helped them dodge another of Yuki's many attempts to cook. The Rat was now starting to admit to himself that he lacked talent.

"Yes indeed, and it's my treat. I received a raise in pay so I thought we could all go somewhere." Shigure answered. "Plus, things have been so rough around here lately that we all just need a break. And I finally get to escort Tohru-kun to the onsen and-" He was interrupted by a threatening glare from Kyo, so he just went back to his meal. Yuki continued.

"This past week has been hard on all of us, so we need a chance to just get away from it all. A Trip to the Sohma family onsen will do just that. On top of that, we've kind of been neglecting you lately, and you haven't been looking so good either, so I think that it's time we switched gears and take it easy for a while." Ed sighed.

"I'm not the kind of person who takes it easy. If I sit around for too long I get all fidgety. I'm really anxious to get home and I don't want to put a hold on my research."

"That is the precise reason why we're taking this trip. If you try to do too much at the same time, then your muscles break down and you get sick." Yuki scolded.

The alchemist finally caved, sighing again. That much was true. Ever since he and Al had burned their own home down and set out to recover their original bodies, Ed had never once felt relaxed. The fear of losing his brother, the weight of protecting him, combing the country for the Philosophers Stone, battling Homuculi, and dealing with the military had taken a huge toll on Ed. He remembered what Al told him once; that taking it easy once in a while wasn't too bad.

"Alright, I give. Besides," he gained an optimistic outlook. "I've never been to a hot spring before. We didn't have any of those back in Amestris, so it be pretty cool to finally see one." Yuki and Shigure smiled, while Kyo continued to shovel food into his mouth.

* * *

**The Sohma Hot Springs Resort, 12 N…**

"YAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!! We're back at the onsen!" Tohru twirled around in joy. "Thank you so much Shigure-san!"

"No problem Tohru-kun." The novelist said as he picked up his bag. "I've longed to come to the hot springs with you. I felt so left out last time."

"I'm sorry you couldn't come last time." She apologized.

"It's all OK. I would've come if I hadn't had Mitchan breathing down my neck. That woman can be very demanding sometimes."

"You did make sure to call her this time." Yuki reminded. "When we get home I don't want to see that we have 20 messages on the phone."

"Don't worry, I let her know where I was going and assured her that I was in reach." Shigure reassured. A flashback was currently playing in his mind at the moment.

* * *

_"I'm sorry; I've reached the point where I just can't write anymore." Shigure said into the phone. His response was a yell from his editor._

_"WHAT?!" Mitchan shouted in disbelief. "You can't be serious! We have a deadline to meet in 5 days, and if we don't get this manuscript in, then I'll be fired!"_

_"Don't worry Mitchan. Since I've run out of ideas, I'm going on a journey of…novelist enlightenment. I won't be back for two days, so on the third day, I will keep writing until it's finished." A long pause over the phone followed his words._

_"Shigure, why are you telling me this?" Mitchan asked. "Normally you don't tell me anything and I'm left in the dark." Shigure chuckled slightly._

_"Why my dear Mitchan, even I can be kind and considerate sometimes. I just wanted to let you know." There was another pause, and then his editor spoke again._

_"Alright, just make sure you get the manuscript done. Bye!" She hung up. Unbeknownst to Mitchan, Shigure was in a state of nervousness. The reason: a pair of golden eyes was glaring daggers at him. It was like that throughout the whole phone call. The poor Dog slowly turned around to face the stern alchemist._

_"There, I let her know. Are you happy now?" Ed gave him a curt nod._

_"Yes. I'm sick of her calling every five minutes each time you disappear. It's driving me nuts."_

* * *

_"I never thought I would have to face threats from him."_ He warily eyed the blonde youth as he climbed off the bus. _"He certainly knows how to get a point across."_ Kyo, in the meantime, was facing the wrath of the onsen Okami.

"_**…HOW DARE YOU TALK BACK TO YOUR ELDERS LIKE THAT!!!!! WHERE DID YOU LEARN YOUR MANNERS???!!!! I'M SORRY WORLD!!!!!!!!! FORGIVE ME FOR THE RASH ACTIONS OF THIS UNCONTROLLABLE BOY!!! I'M SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!**_" The elderly lady had grabbed Kyo by the shoulders and was shaking him like crazy.

"OK, OK, I'm sorry!! Now let go!!!" The poor cat seemed very dizzy. Ed then mustered up the courage (her spaz attack had freaked him out) to go up and introduce himself. Tohru got to the introduction before he did, though.

"Oh, Okami-san," She pointed in Ed's direction. "This is Edward Elric. We brought him along on our trip." The old woman released Kyo and turned around. Her eyes widened for obvious reasons.

"_**What…happened?**_" She choked out. Her face was now a very pale color. Ed himself had gotten used to the looks and double-takes.

"It was…an accident. My left leg is gone as well." He explained, as he leaned against the wall for support and pulled him his pant leg. The onsen Okami looked sympathetic.

"I see, it's only natural that you would come to an onsen to relax. Please make yourself at home." She bowed formally. Ed sighed again.

"If you keep sighing like that, you'll blow happiness away!" Shigure said in a rather singsong voice.

"Oh shut up…." The alchemist muttered under his breath.

* * *

**That evening…**

Tohru stood at the edge of the bath wrapped in a towel. As the orphan dipped her toes into the warm water, she breathed in the crisp fall air. The season of change was ending, and soon it would be time for the cultural festival. Like last time, she wanted this one to be another memorable one.

_"I can't wait for it to come, but I'm also nervous about the play. I have so many lines, and I'm worried that I'll mess it up for everyone. That's why I have to work my hardest_." She let her mother's picture float out into the water. _"Oh Mom, it would be nice if Ed-san came to watch the play, but I guess he would get nervous around a bunch of high school students. Not to mention the stares he would get from missing an arm. And I don't want to explain to Uo-chan and Hana-chan that he's from another world."_ She breathed out slowly. _"I would like to take him to visit you Mom, he's lost his mom, too. And it'd be great if I could introduce you to him."_ She was interrupted from her thoughts by a voice calling out to her from the other side of the tall fence.

"Honda-san, are you doing alright over there?" Yuki called out.

"Yes, the water is wonderful. How are you all doing?"

"We're fine." It was Shigure who answered this time. "Ed-kun hasn't shown up yet…Ah, speak of the devil."

The alchemist emerged from their room wrapped in a heavy towel. His hair was undone from its usual braid, and his missing arm and leg struck the three other men hard. It was even more obvious without clothing to cover it. Ed sat down and began to remove his prosthetic.

"Do you need some help?" Yuki asked.

"Nah, I got it." After successfully removing it, he climbed in carefully, and leaned back against a large rock, sighing in relief as he did so.

"Man, you were right Yuki. I needed this in the worst way possible." He shut his eyes, taking in the moment of quiet.

"When muscles relax, they drive poisons out and regain a healthy structure. Al was right; taking it easy isn't such a bad thing after all." He smiled to himself slightly. "Everything I've been through must've been piling up on my shoulders for a while. Maybe I can take it easy here. At least I don't have to deal with any more Homunculi." He felt the toxins leaving his system, and had never felt so good in such a long time.

"When you want out," Yuki spoke. "Let me know. I'll help you get that leg back on." Ed nodded, breathing in and out slowly.

_"He looks so helpless in this state."_ Shigure thought. He then came up with a plan that might expose his only weakness, and allow him to get back at the Full Metal Alchemist for ruining his fun with Mitchan. If it didn't work, the maids were going to have a hard time cleaning the bloodstains off the pool.

"No offense Ed-kun, but you look even smaller in that position." He taunted. Out of the corner his eye, Yuki and Kyo gained a horrified look. The Dog's focus was on Ed, though, who, as expected, twitched angrily. He leaped at Shigure.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A RUNT SO TI-" Ed then lost his balance when he tried to take another step. He noted as he went face first into the pool the he was not wearing his prosthetic. A loud splash then ensued.

_"That bastard baited me!!!"_ That was one of the many insults that passed through his mind at the moment. He threw his head up out of the water, gasping for breath. Shigure was chuckling.

"You did that on purpose!!!!" He yelled furiously. Kyo then realized that Ed was helpless without a leg. He put on an evil grin, usually reserved for when he was going to challenge Yuki.

"It's payback time!" He jumped up from his relaxed position and charged. A trip from Yuki sent him into the water as well.

"We brought Elric-san here so he can relax, not have to deal with you picking on him. Now behave yourself."

"Is everyone OK?!" They all heard Tohru calling out to them worried.

"We're all right Honda-san!" The Rat responded. "Kyo just tried to pick a fight with Elric-san." Ed snorted, and struggled back to his spot, trying to get settled down again.

"I'll stay for a little while longer, and then go eat dinner." He thought as he once again, resumed his state of calm.

* * *

**Later that night…**

"He passed out already?" Kyo looked up from the show he was watching to the back of the room. Indeed, the alchemist was asleep on his deluxe futon, and snoring lightly. He was currently wearing a light hot springs kimono, and seemed to like the clothing. Tohru had wondered if they could get some for him. She knew Hohemheim would send him some if she asked.

"Who wouldn't, after a meal like that and a soak in the hot springs?" Shigure commented, and smiled from behind his book. The dinner they had eaten was fit for a king, and Ed had eaten each kind available. Everyone at the table wondered why he hadn't thrown it all back up yet.

"He must really like the food here." Yuki wondered.

"I might as well turn in myself." Kyo muttered sleepily. As he was getting up, Yuki spoke again.

"Do you guys…ever get the feeling…that he's hiding something? Something important?" The rat asked.

"Now why would you get that feeling?" Shigure asked. "I think the steam went to your head Yuki."

"What else could he possibly be hiding?" Kyo said. "As if the existence of another world isn't big enough a secret." He added, and then they all heard the alchemist talk in his sleep.

"……Winry…listen, about Al……" He trailed off, and his snoring could be heard a moment later.

"See what I mean?" Yuki pointed out, and turned back to the TV. Eventually all three turned in, though Yuki stayed up thinking.

_"He might have suffered more then all of us Zodiac members put together, including me."_ The Rat could tell that the problems and burdens on Ed's shoulders were heavier than his, and might make Akito's abuse look like a bully problem.

_"I don't want to be looking down on him, as though I'm better off than him. Rather, I want to look up to him, as someone who found the strength to deal with those problems. I've been so fortunate lately; I have Honda-san, most of the Zodiac members, Elric-san, Manabe-san and…Kuragi-san to back me up. "_He thought of Machi with a blush. Yuki began to drift off. _"They're all wonderful people, and I hope that all of the pain and hardships we've all been through will be worth it one day. Equivalent exchange."_

* * *

**The next morning…**

"Alas, it is time for us to part, don't be strangers and come back anytime." The Okami sighed, and was, once again, leaning on Kyo's shoulder. Said person was getting annoyed.

"Will you please get off me?' Kyo muttered angrily. The elderly lady reluctantly left her support, and turned her gaze to Ed.

"Feel free to visit anytime you like, and don't hesitate to bring friends along with you."

"Well, I might just take up that offer." Ed said happily. As far as everyone else knew he was looking more content than he ever looked since he arrived.

"Thank you for everything Okami-san," Tohru bowed formally. "And say hello to Ritchan-san for me."

"Tell Ritsu not to hesitate to visit my house." Shigure added. "I'm glad to hear he's gaining confidence."

"Who's Ristu?" Ed wondered. Yuki explained.

"He's the Monkey of the Zodiac, and the son of the Okami."

"Well, if he's anything like his mother, then I look forward to meeting him." The elderly woman's outlook changed rapidly, and Kyo stepped a few feet back. The Okami jumped at Ed.

"_**I'M SOOOOOOO SOOOOOOORRRRYYYYYY!!!!!!!! HE MAY SEEM WORTHLESS, BUT HE'S MY SON AND I LOVE HIM SO VERY MUCH!!!!!!!! I APOLOGIZE ON RITSU'S BEHALF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M SORRY WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_" It was now Ed's turn to try and dodge the worst. He had no luck.

"Put me down I'm 'gonna be sick!!!! And I meant that in a good way!!!" Hearing this, the Okami stopped abruptly and released the alchemist.

"_**I'm sorry about that.**_" She said weakly, and bowed. Fortunately, the bus arrived at that moment.

"Come on everyone, no dillydallying!" Shigure called as he hurried to the bus. "It's going to rain soon, so we best hurry!" Indeed, menacing clouds hung over the horizon. They waved goodbye to Ristu's mother, and headed to the bus, Tohru chattering excitedly about the upcoming cultural festival.

"I can't wait for the festival! I have so many lines and I'm so worried that I'll ruin it for everyone."

"Honda-san, I'm sure you'll be fine." Yuki said reassuringly. "If anyone's going to screw up its 'Prince Charming.'"

"I'm not playing Prince Charming!" Kyo objected as the bus started to move. "Get Yuki to play that!"

"And I suppose you want to play the Fairy Godmother?" Yuki shot back.

"You guys are doing the Cinderella play, right?" Ed asked. "I heard that story back in Amestris. I guess not every thing's different here. I'm looking forward to seeing that." Tohru gasped happily.

"You mean you'll come?" She said joyfully. "That's so wonderful! But, won't you feel awkward about your arm?

"Dad called yesterday morning before we left. He said my prosthetic arm's almost ready. That and I am _not_ missing out on Kyo royally screw up."

"What did you say, runt?!" Kyo soon found himself very familiar with the windows of the bus.

* * *

**City Streets, 2:00 P.M…**

Shigure's prediction came true, and it rained, hard. Ed had fallen asleep to the sound of rain hitting the windows. Although in this case it was Momiji, another Zodiac member was right: Ed had weird sleeping positions.

His current one was of him lying face-down on the bus seat, his only hand was dangling towards the ground, his fake leg resting on the armrest of his seat, and his other hitched up on top of the seat. Not to mention his snoring was drowning out both the sound of rain and the bus engine, and his drool was forming a puddle on the bus-floor.

Kyo wasn't sure that he could hold his laughter in any longer, neither was Shigure.

"Momiji wasn't kidding," Shigure giggled. "He does look weird." At that moment the bus pulled to a stop, and Ed rolled off the seat and fell to the floor with a loud grunt. Both Zodiac members then burst. Ed snorted, and groggily sat up.

"Are we home?" He asked sleepily. Tohru helped him to his feet.

"Yeah, you slept most of the way, though." Ed stretched, and followed Yuki off the bus quite sluggishly. Once out in the rain, he felt more alert as the cold droplets of water hit his face. The sky was a very pretty gray, and the clouds swirled above them. Ed remembered whenever it rained, he, his brother and Winry would take walks and try and catch raindrops on their tongues. His heart ached to see them, mostly to see his brothers face again. A voice snapped him out of his reminiscing.

"Are you all right Elric-san?" Yuki looked at him in concern. "You didn't hit your head too hard when you fell, did you?"

"I think I just got a little car sick." He muttered. The back of his skull was throbbing some, but that wasn't what was bothering the alchemist. "Besides, I'm not the only one who's not feeling well." He looked over to Kyo, who was twitching and looking like he wanted to sprint back to the house.

"Being the Cat, he doesn't like water." Shigure pointed out. They were just reaching their street when Tohru suddenly gasped.

"Oh no, I think I left all our sheets outside to dry! And now they must be soaking wet!" She panicked and was about to run to the house when Kyo stopped her.

"Don't worry; I took them inside yesterday morning. Don't strain yourself." He gently hit her on the head affectionately. She turned bright red.

"Thank you so much Kyo-kun." She said with a smile. Kyo grinned back.

"Hey guys," Ed suddenly said. "What's Momiji doing here?" The house was now in view, and at front door was the Zodiac rabbit, frantically banging on the door.

"Hello?! Somebody answer, please!!" He was wearing a scared look that nobody had ever seen on his face before.

"Momiji, what's wrong?" Yuki ran up to him. The Rabbit spun around.

"Thank goodness you're here! I called, but nobody answered, so I came over here!"

"Momiji, did something happen?" Shigure asked. Everyone stared at the boy, waiting for his news.

"It's Kisa, she's gone!!" All of them (excluding Ed) gasped. "Everyone else is out looking for her, but I came to get you guys so you could help!"

"How long has she been missing?" Kyo asked.

"Since this morning," The small boy squeaked out of fear. "I went to her room to try to get her to eat something, but she was missing. I thought she just left for the bathroom, but then she didn't come back."

"But…" Tohru now looked scared. "…why would she run away?"

"It's hardly surprising." Shigure pointed out. "She lost her parents, so she must feel very upset about it. She wasn't talking at all, so she must've runaway from feeling so hopeless. Now everyone go inside and get a coat so we can start looking." He unlocked the door and let them all in.

"Ed-kun, would it kill you if you helped us?" Shigure turned to him as he put on a thick raincoat and picked up an umbrella. He shook his head.

"I'll help. What does she look like?" Tohru answered that one.

"She's about this high, has orange-brown hair, and brown eyes." She gestured her height.

"Since she's possessed by a Zodiac spirit, she might have transformed from running so much." Yuki added. "Her Zodiac animal is the Tiger, so you might see her in human form or in Zodiac form."

"Got it, I'll look hard." The Full Metal Alchemist grabbed an umbrella after slipping on a coat (with difficulty, until Momiji helped him), and ran out into the rain. Tohru overtook him and sprinted off in another direction.

* * *

**2 hours later…**

_"Damn it! This is like trying to find a needle in a haystack."_ Ed thought as he rounded the corner._ "How could one little girl just simply disappear?"_

He had run into everyone else at least twice. Momiji, Tohru, Yuki, Kyo, Hatori, Shigure, and Hatsuharu were all on the hunt. They hadn't called the police due to that if they found Kisa, she could possibly transform. The rain was pouring down harder and showed no signs of letting up. The alchemist was getting colder by the minute.

_"We've got to find her fast. If we don't the poor girl might not make it. Think Elric! Think! If I was someone who just lost my family and had no idea what to do, where would I go?"_ He remembered when Winry took off after her parents died. She clearly wanted to be alone, and he and Al had found her by the river, concealed by the bushes.

_"Ok, somewhere where I could be alone and a place that possibly has shelter from the rain."_ He continued to run onward, checking in small places and hidden areas. Finally, as the rainfall reached its peak, he ran up into a small shrine.

_"Are you here?"_ He thought. He checked around the front of the shrine, and then ran around to the back. The only things there were a large cherry blossom tree, and a small girl crouched at its base behind the towering tree.

She matched Tohru's description perfectly. Ed could make out her tawny hair, and she looked small. Her arms were around her knees and her head buried into them. It was clear that she was very upset. Ed tried to catch his breath and wiped his wet bangs away from his face, and slowly began to walk towards her.

He felt himself starting to freeze up again, like he did when he and his brother found Winry, when they had no idea what to do or say. He wasn't going to let that weakness overtake him now; he needed to get her somewhere sheltered.

Soon he reached the tree. Kisa didn't look at him. Ed wasn't even sure she had noticed him, so he just sat down next to her. She still didn't glance up. They sat in silence for a while, before Ed finally found some words to say.

"……you should really go someplace that's sheltered, you could catch a cold out here. And everyone's worried sick about you." Kisa stayed quiet. Ed decided to keep going.

"I…lost my mom, too, and Dad doesn't have much time left. I don't know if you've heard about my…situation, have you?" He looked at her again. After a little while she nodded slightly, not completely acknowledging him.

"I don't even know if my brother's alive; if I managed to bring him back. When I first came here, I felt alone, and hurt from losing Al. He was very important to me. But, you know, it isn't all bad, and everyone here seems nice. It can be hard losing people you love; death is unavoidable for everyone. However, it's not the end of the world. Your body returns to the earth, and in turn makes the grass and flowers grow. Your soul also becomes nourishment for the other people around you, and those parted in death are still alive in your memories of them." He wasn't sure, at this point, if he was making her feel better, or worse.

"I came to accept this long ago, and it's difficult to explain to someone else." He laughed slightly. "My teacher taught me and my brother about that, and she pounded it into our skulls by dumping us on a deserted island…I'm getting off the subject. Anyway, my point is, if you want to keep living, live for the people that care about you, for the people who love you, and for your parents." He gazed at her again, and she still didn't move. It was quiet again for a bit, until Ed decided that there was no point in reasoning with her if she didn't want to keep going.

"I'll leave you be for a while." He took off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. "If you need me I'll be waiting at the entrance, and I'll walk you home, alright?" Her head tilted up a bit. "Just make sure you don't stay out for long." He began to get up, but a sudden movement from Kisa made him freeze.

She had turned abruptly and lunged at him, her arms held out. Ed briefly caught a glimpse of her eyes; they were deep vats of chocolate, stained red with tears. It was then she held him tightly, and Ed's nose was filled with the scent of lilacs. They remained in that position for a second before a puff of smoke obscured his vision.

* * *

Shigure was exhausted from running around so much. He wasn't used to this much exercise. Hatori tailed him, equally as tired.

"We have to find her soon, before something else happens." Hatori yelled over the sound of the rain. Coincidently, a loud pop sounded off from the shrine behind them. The Zodiac members turned quickly at the noise, and hurried through the entrance. Shigure glanced around desperately, and saw the remains of colored smoke coming from the back of the small building. Both men raced around to the other side.

"Satchan, thank goodness we-" Shigure gaped at the scene in front him. A small tiger was clinging to Ed, and the alchemist seemed frozen from shock. The cub in his single arm was trembling with sadness.

"…I'll (sob)…try. I'll try to…live (sob). Thank…you…" It was all she said before her voice trailed off into more shudders. Hatori walked up and tried to pry the tiger off of Ed. She stubbornly held onto him with her claws.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Ed grimaced at the pain. Kisa sheathed her claws, but still clearly wanted to hold on to the State Alchemist. Hatori backed off some, and Shigure approached.

"Make sure she doesn't catch cold." He reminded. Ed nodded, and lifted up the tigers face so he could look at her.

"Do you want to go home?" he asked.

"I…want to go to…Onee-chan's place…please?" She sounded weak and tired. "…you said…you'd walk me home..." A confused Ed turned to Shigure.

"Who does she mean by that?" He asked.

"She means Tohru-kun; in other words, my house." Shigure explained. Ed looked back at Kisa.

"…OK…" Ed agreed, and held her closer to his chest. He got up off the ground while Shigure picked up her clothing.

Hatori followed behind him. "I want her at my house tomorrow so I can make sure she isn't sick." Ed nodded again, his gaze still resting on the drenched cub, snuggling into his chest.

"…stay…please…" She muttered.

* * *

"She's been found?!" Yuki said in relief. He, Tohru and Kyo were not too far from the house, and the rain was, thankfully, letting up. At this point in time Yuki was very happy that he had asked his mother for a cell phone. Tohru's expression turned to one of joy and Kyo looked relieved to finally be able to get out of the rain.

"Yes," Shigure answered happily. "We found her at a shrine and brought her here."

"Thank God, what's she doing now?" They started up the stairs.

"**She's glued to Ed-kun.**" Shigure said in a playful voice. And then he hung up. Yuki looked at the phone in confusion, and hurried to the front door.

"Shigure-san?" Tohru called. He was waiting for them at the entrance, drying his hair off with a towel from running around in the rain.

"She's upstairs in Ed-kun's room." He gestured upwards. Tohru immediately took off her shoes and ran up the stairs. Yuki tailed her closely and Kyo went to the kitchen to eat something.

Upon arrival she gasped quietly. Kisa was sleeping on Ed's futon, and her pillow was Ed's lap. Tohru smiled to herself and knelt down beside him, Yuki followed suit.

"Do you ever wonder what happens to the mothers of Zodiac children?" Yuki asked Ed. He nodded. "They either become extremely overprotective of them, or reject them entirely. Kisa's mother became one of those mothers who protected her with everything she had. She was very close to her parents, and when they died she was devastated. It was like her whole being just shut down."

"She was like that when she was being teased. When she entered middle school she was made fun of for her hair and eye color. She eventually burst and said there was nothing she could do about it. After that, everyone started ignoring her. Not entirely though, for whenever she would speak, they would laugh at her. The poor thing didn't know how to tell her mother, and felt very helpless."

"After the funeral, Kisa-san locked herself in her room and wouldn't open the door for anyone." Tohru added. "Thankfully, she was able to stomach the food the maids left outside her room for her. She didn't speak the whole time, from the moment she found out her parents died. When Kisa-san was being teased she didn't tell anyone, and eventually, she ran away, like she did today." She looked at Ed intently. "What did you say to her when you found her?" The alchemist shrugged carefully so he wouldn't wake the sleeping girl in his lap.

"I just told her about life and death, and asked her to keep living." He chuckled. "After that, she jumped at me, transformed, and asked me to take her to you, Tohru." Yuki, in the meantime, was reminiscing about the last time Kisa clung to someone like this.

"This is just like when you found her, Honda-san." The Rat remembered. "Is she heavy?" He asked the same question to Ed, who shook his head.

"Nah, its fine." He rubbed the Zodiac Tiger on the head gently, slowly taking in her flowery aroma.

_"She…smells nice." _Ed thought to himself. He recalled her eyes were the color of chocolate, and he had a weird sensation in the pit of his stomach, something he had never felt before. He guessed that it had something to do with the red blush that was creeping across his face.

* * *

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Well, there you have it: the mystery pairing I've been hinting. In other news, DISNEY WORLD!!

_**All:**_ WOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!

_**Kyo:**_ I'm gonna beat Yuki at every arcade game they have at DisneyQuest!

_**Yuki:**_ You're on!

_**Hana:**_ *puts on sunglasses* and why are you dillydallying when you need to leave?

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ That's true! Seriously, Dad's packing the car right now and we leave for the airport in ten minutes! I just wish the nearest airport wasn't 4 hours away…

_**Edward:**_ *Picks up suitcase* Then let's go already. Come on Al!

_**Alphonse:**_ Coming! See you all at the car!

_**Tohru:**_ I can't wait!

_**Shigure:**_ Me neither!

_**Uo:**_ This is 'gonna be _sweet_!

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Alas, I must leave for the week now, so I hope to see lots of reviews when I get back. And, as usual, flames are welcome, so long as they are mild. Please cut me some slack, I'm pouring my soul into this story. *Looks at Hiro/Kisa supporters* DON'T KILL ME!!!!!!!!! *makes a break for the car*


	7. Sorta Cinderella

_**Author's Notes:**_ It's 2 in the morning, I'm exhausted, my feet hurt, and my hair is a mess…..THAT WAS A KICK ASS TRIP!!!!!!!!!!! Now that I'm back and typing, I feel both relieved and really weird. The latter for a multitude of reasons: Post-vacation depression, the fact that I discovered an Anime Mecca at Epcot's World Showcase (They have Fruits Basket T-shirts, Bleach posters, Naruto figurines, and a sh*t load of Pokemon dolls), the guilt from using so much of my dad's money, and the epiphany I experienced after getting on the plane to home. I realized that everything that's animated, from +Anima to Blood+, it was all in some way inspired by a cartoon about a mouse, whom I happen to love since I was little…………I just hope nobody forgets that it all started there. I know I prattle too much (and I don't think anyone actually pays attention to what I type here) but I like getting all that out of my system. Anyways, I was really happy to see plenty of reviews and positive feedback, and I'm always grateful to each and every one of you who takes the time to read this story. THANK YOU!!!! If I could, I would give all my wonderful fans and readers a big hug and take you all to Disney World for a week!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. The scenes that go in sync with the Fruits basket manga also belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei. Everything else mentioned belongs to their rightful creators and owners. Plot of the story belongs to me.

_**Inspiration for this chapter:**_ Say It Right by Nelly Furtado, Tenkou Kisei from the Fullmetal Alchemist Original Soundtrack, and Head over Feet by Alanis Morissette.

* * *

Chapter 7

Sorta Cinderella

**Kaibara Public High School, 4:00 P.M…**

"'Hey! Cinderella! Hurry up and make our dresses! The royal ball is tomorrow, remember? Lord, you're such a simpleton. Wouldn't you agree, my dear?'**"**

"'Y-yes! Er…if you don't hurry up and finish…you most certainly won't get…get…get any…any…dinner!'" Tohru trailed off into tears. She just couldn't say something to like that to her psychic friend. Minami, however, had other ideas.

"STOP CRYING FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!" Hana reached over and hugged her emotional friend.

"I'm very happy," She said soothingly. "You're crying for me, aren't you?"

"AND HUGGING!!! NO HUGGING!!!! You're the wicked stepsister, you're mean! Get it right, genius!!" It didn't help much, and only made Tohru more upset.

"Y-yes!"

"Crush her self-esteem into teeny, tiny pieces!!" She commanded, and didn't notice until the last second that her object of affection was entering the room to check up on things.

"I'm impressed Kinoshita-san," He complemented while Minami nearly collapsed. "You're so passionate about this."

"NO!!! DON'T LOOK AT ME YUKI-KUN!!!" The fan club member cried as she raced down the hallway. Yuki shrugged it off and checked on Tohru.

"Are you alright down there?" He asked in concern.

"I'm just…well…"

"Never better, thank you." Hana butted in. The girl in charge of directing the play, was getting rather exasperated.

"I guess you can't really fix the casting mistake." She admitted, and then Tohru began apologizing like crazy.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry…I cause nothing but trouble."

"Oh, c'mon, you're trying your best," Uo reassured Tohru. "You're just modifying the character." Despite this the orphaned brunette continued to beat herself up.

"I'll work harder. I will! Just let me try it once more." She then completely got the lines mixed up. "I don't care if I don't get any dinner!"

"Why would the evil stepsister not get any dinner?" The director asked. Tohru then got up and dried her tears.

"Um…all right, I'm r-ready! I will try my best despite my lack of dinner!" She shouted in determination. The director halted her.

"But first, you chill…" She rubbed her temples for a second, and then her gaze turned fiery.

"Okay! In that case, fine! I will rewrite the script!" She started tearing up the original one up in a fury. "If the story fails with a miscast, then I'll make the story fit the cast!! INSPIRATION STRIKES!!!"

The co-director, in the meantime, had walked over to see the commotion and was now trying to calm his comrade down. "B-but your logic is violent!" She ignored him and frantically began scribbling on a fresh sheet of paper.

"Can we really change the story?" Uo didn't look very confident in this plan. The co-director nodded.

"Sure we can. You know the class that's doing '_**Mito Koumon**_'?" The yankee nodded. "They made Koumon-sama, Suke-san, and Kaku-san women who kicked the tar out of bad guys." He then gained a shocked look at Uo's sudden change of expression. It was one of excitement.

"A Japanese style '_**Charlie's Angels'**_!" She yelled in a fiery voice.

"Full throttle." Hana joked lightly. Even the co-director was getting stirred up.

"So is there a bath scene with characters other than Ogin-san in it?! I've got to see that!" Yuki looked skeptical at that.

"I doubt it would get past the board of education." He noted.

"I wanna see that-I mean, those lucky devils! Their play is sure to be cooler." The director looked up from her frantic writing.

"Jealousy doesn't become us, so jealousy we must overcome!" She punched the air. "I'M FEELING THE FIRE!! I MUST WRITE!!!" Tohru then piped up quietly.

"Er…"She began hesitantly. "If you're going to rewrite it, then could you change Prince Charming a little?"

"Hm?" She looked up from her work again.

"Maybe…to a Prince Charming that would be easier for Kyo-kun to play. Maybe then Kyo-kun will rehearse with us, after all." The director nodded.

"Good idea. Speaking of which, where did Kyon-Kyon run off to?"

"I wanna see that punk perform," Uo stated, and then, in sync with the co-director, she said, "**It's sure to be hilarious.**"

"Have you ever thought that maybe _that's_ the reason he won't show?" Yuki asked the rest of them, but they didn't notice him. Tohru started.

"Oh! I'll…I'll go look-" The Rat patted her on the shoulder gently.

"I'm going back to the Student council room. I'll look for him on the way." He flash her a grin, and left the room. Tohru turned back to her friends, who were editing out parts and adding as their director modified the story.

_"I hope Kyo-kun be comfortable enough with his new role and rehearse with us. I think he would make a fine Prince Charming. And our costumes are custom made by Ayame-san. Everyone's working their hardest, so that means I have to work hard, too."_ She felt a flash of determination, but then it died down as she recalled last week's incident. _"Not much time has gone by since Ed-san found Kisa-san. I'm glad she's doing better, and that she started going back to school. But…why is it…that Ed-san is out of the house even more? He seems so distant, and hardly says anything at mealtimes."_ She then began to panic. _"Oh no!! The only explanation is because of me! What if I said or did something that offended him? He must hate me now! Only, he's just so nice that he couldn't say anything…!"_

"…Tohru…hello?" Uo waved a hand in front of her face. She jumped as she came back to reality.

"UWAAAAAAAAH!! U-Uo-chan?" She looked up at her yankee friend, and then noticed that the room was practically empty.

"Rehearsal is finished for the day, as well as the new script," She held it out to Tohru. "It should be easier for you to do your part now." Tohru went through it.

"Thank you so much. I'm so grateful, so tell the director that I'm really happy for this." Hana smiled and patted her on the head.

"Let's go home." She offered a hand for Tohru to get up, but she didn't take it.

'I'm going to wait for Kyo-kun, and I want him to see the finished version. Plus his bag is still here, so…" her friends nodded.

"OK." Uo and Hana gave her a hug. "Sure you don't want us to wait with you?" The orphan shook her head.

"It's alright, I'll be fine." Uo shrugged and guided Hana out of the room, leaving Tohru to her thoughts.

_"…there is so much that Ed-san isn't telling us. I can see it in his eyes: A pain…that exceeds that of Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun's…even my own…"_ Tohru gazed out the window as she pondered. _"His voice, a voice he wants nobody to hear, is even quieter than the Zodiac members. Sometimes, when I see that pain in his eyes, it makes me want to cry. Does he just…not trust us enough, to tell us what's on his mind? And I can tell that it's not just because he misses his brother. It's like…he's trying to hide something that he did wrong."_ The sound of the opening door distracted her. She started as Kyo walked in, looking a little depressed.

"Oh!" She jumped up as Kyo suddenly realized she was in the room.

"Kyo-kun! Yuki-kun went to look for you, but since you didn't come back…"

"Why are you alone?" He asked her. "What happened to everybody?"

"We finished rehearsal for today, so everyone went home." She flipped open the new script, and missed the guilty expression on Kyo's face.

"Were you waiting for me…?"

"I wanted you to see this!" She held up the new story. "It's the revised script. They really rewrote the whole thing, and in such a short time." Tohru looked at him hopefully.

"I really, really hope you'll read it through. I'm sure your part will be a lot easier for you know." She flipped through the paper to her role. "They made my role a lot easier, too! But in my case, it was my fault; my performance was so bad before." To Kyo, her voice just faded away, and guilt prickled his stomach.

_"She was alone. What was going through her head while she waited for me?"_ He recalled what Yuki said to him out in the hallway, and finally decided to cave.

"…oh, by the way, the part they changed the most was-" it was then she noticed the bleeding scratch on his hand as he reached over to her.

"Kyo-kun?! You hand is hurt!" He slide it across the desk in front of her, and Tohru froze up from him being this close to her, worried that he would transform.

"y-your…hand…" It was silent for a second, until the Cat sighed and rested his head against Tohru's shoulder.

"…I give up. It's not like I have a choice." He took the script from her. "Just promise me one thing: You won't laugh, no matter what." He put the script in his bag and hoisted it onto his shoulders. "Anyways, let's go home already. Come on."

Tohru felt very happy he wasn't going to run away anymore. She dried her tears and followed.

"C-coming."

* * *

**Shigure Sohma's house, 5:30 P.M….**

"Ed-san?" Tohru peeked into his room. The alchemist was sitting as the desk his father sent him, drawing something on a sheet of paper. He looked up at her entry and smiled in greeting.

"Hey Tohru." He suddenly seemed concerned about her worried and uneasy expression. "What's wrong?"

"Um...I'm…I'm sorry!" She bowed in apology.

"Huh?" His eyes widened in confusion.

"I really am stupid, so I didn't notice at all. And if, I did something to offend you please tell me. I won't do it again. I promise!" She waited to hear what she had done wrong, when a hand rubbed her gently on the head.

"You didn't do anything wrong as far as I know." Tohru didn't look convinced.

"I'm just worried about you. You've been kinda distant ever since we found Kisa-san."

" You didn't do anything wrong, and I'm sorry if I made you worry. That's probably what I'm good at best: making others worry about me." He sat back down, rubbing his forehead.

"Back in Amestris, when I was in the military, I was always on the move around the country doing what the military ordered me to. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone what I was doing on the mission. All my friends back home worried about me, and even though Al was with me all the time, I made him worry, too." He looked back at Tohru, who was taking in every word.

"I see." She nodded. And Ed was nearly overcome by guilt for worrying her.

_"I always made others worry about me. Winry, Granny Pinako, Teacher, and I made Al worry as well. The least I can do to make amends for that is to be sure I don't worry her."_ He stood up and gave Tohru a reassuring smile.

"You want to go get some ice cream or something? My treat."

"Oh, no…that's alright. I couldn't-" She started to protest, but Ed grabbed her by the hand and guided her out of his room.

"Come on. The very least I can do to make it up to you is get you something nice." He then laughed a bit. "My mom used to say that the universe would be nothing but a spiraling swirl of chaos and anguish if we didn't have ice cream." After saying this, Tohru smiled widely.

"Thank you so much. I'm so happy. Thank you!" Ed grinned back.

"Look, the reason I was out of the house so much was because I was pretty wrapped up in my research. I found something that might get me back, but it's not looking like much of a lead. So I guess I was a little stressed out. Sorry if it looked like I was taking it out on you." He led her out the door.

_"I could never be mad at someone like you. Why do you give so much to me, and not expect anything back?" _He thought as she continued to hold his hand.

* * *

**The next day…**

"Well, the cultural festival is a week away." Yuki noted. "And Kyo is finally rehearsing with us." He trailed off as he slurped stew. Tohru seemed very excited about it.

"I hope that we changed the script enough so that he can be comfortable with his role."

"Speaking of which, where is he? Not like him to miss dinner." Ed said.

"He went to Kazuma's dojo, and I'm certain if he were to find out about the play then Kyo would hide out in the mountains for at least a month." Shigure chuckled. The alchemist put down his fork, stood up and stretched.

"I'm going to take a shower, then go out for a while. Be back by dinner." He walked to the hallway. Tohru heard him go up the steps.

"I'm glad he's acting like himself again. He had me worried for a little while, but he seems OK now." She was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"I got it." Tohru stood up, paused in the kitchen to put her dishes in the sink, and hurried to the entrance. Upon opening the door revealed Ed's father with a very large package.

"Hohemheim-san, hello," She bowed in greeting. "It's nice to see you again."

"It's nice to see you too, Tohru." He patted her on the head in affection. "I have Edward's arm. I also need to adjust his leg so he has better use of it.

"That's wonderful!" Her bright outlook returned. "Come in, and would you like something to drink?" Hohemheim laughed lightly and walked in.

"You're Katsuya's child all right, no matter what anybody said at his cremation." Tohru felt a pang in her chest at these words, and then remembered what Ed had told her.

"Thanks Hohemheim-san." She smiled gently as she guided him into the living room, where a very delighted Shigure stood up from his seat.

"Sensei, welcome to my castle!" He laughed lightly. "Do make yourself at home." It was Hohemheim of Light's turn to laugh.

"Why thank you, but I'm here on business. Edwards arm is ready so I'm here to attach it, and for leg maintenance."

"It's still great to have you here," Yuki said happily. "And to know that Elric-san can get an arm. I shudder to think of how he can fight with two arms, when he can already beat us with one."

"I was sorry to hear about the accident, and about the victim's daughter." The old teacher said in sympathy.

"Kisa-san's doing better now," Tohru told him. "She started to go back to school after she recovered from her cold."

"That's good to know."

Ed came down the stairs a while later as Shigure and his old teacher were recalling their days in school together, and stopped abruptly when he saw his father in the room. At first he seemed angry, and then looked away as though he was embarrassed. Hohemheim of Light grinned at his son, happy to see him.

"Your arm's ready to be attached. And I need to check that your leg's working properly."

"Let's just get this over with, shall we?" His father smiled even wider and bent down to open the box. Inside was a metal arm not as complex as automail, but looked good enough to pass Ed's standards.

"It's going to be a bit rough for you because I'll have to connect a few nerves to the machines inside. I don't want you to thrash too much, so…" Hohemheim then pulled out, to the alchemist's complete dismay, a needle. He turned tail and fled.

"NO!! GET AWAY FROM ME!!!" Yuki was prepared this time, and did not want to repeat the first incident. He chased him into the hallway, grabbed him, lifted him up and dragging him back.

"I DON'T NEED IT!! I'LL LIVE WITH THE PAIN!!!" Ed desperately tried to squirm away, to no avail.

"It's just a needle, and it spares you pain!" The Zodiac Rat grunted. "Don't be a baby!!"

"It's not going to hurt you Edward. You'll be fine." Hohemheim scolded him as Yuki pulled the protesting alchemist to his father, then looked at Shigure, who was chuckling quietly. "He was always this way about needles when he was very young. And he was the same way about milk." Ed completely forgot his fear of needles then.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MICRO-SIZED ATOM WHO DOESN'T GROW UP BECAUSE HE DOESN'T DRINK MILK?!?!?!?!?!?!?!" He shot out of Yuki's grip and kicked his father upside the head.

"He didn't say that Ed-kun, you need to lighten up." Shigure reminded him.

"Hohemheim-san, are you alright?!" Tohru jumped from her spot at the table and helped the old man to his feet. He put a finger to his lips to shush her, silently picked up the needle and snuck around to Ed's back while he was retorting at Shigure.

"You shut up you stupid mutt!!! He was-YYYYAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Once again Ed was caught off guard as another needle was stabbed into him, this time in his right shoulder. And, once again, it was over within a second of Ed leaping into the air.

"All done," Hohemheim said professionally. "Let's go upstairs to your room so I can begin." Shigure laughed loudly at seeing Ed's expression of death again. The alchemist glared at him, and stomped up the stairs, closely followed by everyone else.

It was at least an hour before Hohemheim of Light was even halfway done installing it. The worst of the pain was avoided thanks to the numbing injection Ed received, but he still jolted each time his father tweaked a nerve. Tohru couldn't stand it and left shortly to wash the dishes from lunch. Soon Yuki left as well as Shigure. After a while, Hohemheim finally decided to make conversation to his son.

"Not as bad as automail surgery, is it?" He looked down at his son, flat on his bed. Ed's father sent him a large bed so he could sleep better, and had pulled up a table where most of the fake arm was lying on.

"That was hell for me." Ed replied.

"I don't get how you lost your automail in The Gate. If you pulled yourself back together then the automail should've been intact." Ed's eyes glazed over with sadness.

"I told you Al died to save my life. Envy killed me, and Al used the Philosophers Stone to bring me back to life. He also restored my body fully. When I gave myself for his life I couldn't pull myself back together completely. I guess I didn't have them back for long enough to pull them onto my body." Hohemheim paused in his work, and then sighed.

"I take it you haven't told them that this isn't the first time you lost an arm and a leg." Ed stiffened, and nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I haven't, and I want it to stay that way." His father grunted in agreement.

"I won't tell them. You can, though, when you feel ready."

* * *

"How long do you think it will take?" Yuki asked Shigure, who shrugged.

"Beats me, but don't worry too much about it. Sensei is an expert at human anatomy, so I'm certain he knows what he's doing." Tohru looked up from washing the dishes.

"I can't imagine how it must be to lose an arm and a leg. To lose the ability to move forward… must've made him feel horrible."

"It's all OK Honda-san," Yuki reassured her. "Elric-san got back up, and is looking much healthier than before, and now he's getting an arm to go with it. It'll all work out in the end for him." As Tohru smiled, Yuki remembered his conversation with Kakeru, and about how he saw his orphaned friend.

"_Honda-san is very precious to me."_ He thought as he dried a plate. _"We've all got secrets that we're hiding within ourselves, and want no one to hear, Elric-san especially. I know I'll be able to tell her how I see her one day, and truly thank her for everything she's done for me."_

"Look Yuki-kun!" he was pulled out of his thoughts when Tohru spoke to him. He directed his attention to her. She was goofing around with the soap bubbles floating on the water in the sink.

"When I shape the suds this way, it looks like a rat." She used a fork to put the final piece in her creation.

It indeed looked like Yuki in his Zodiac form. Yuki smiled widely.

"It's very well done Honda-san. Thank you." She laughed lightly, but stopped as yet another knock sounded from the front door.

"I got it." Shigure put down his glass of water and hurried to the door. He received quite a surprise when he opened it.

A very uncertain looking Kisa (still in her school uniform) stood silently at the entrance holding a bag.

"Satchan, what a pleasant surprise," He rubbed her on the head in affection. "Tohru-kun's in the kitchen, so come in." He turned around but stopped when she spoke so quietly that Shigure almost missed the last part of her sentence.

"…Onii-kun…" Shigure seemed rather lost.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite get that."

She looked at her fellow Zodiac member with pleading eyes. "Is Onii-kun here?"

"Who do you mean by tha-" Shigure paused in mid-sentence when the pieces in his head clicked together. It was quite obvious who she meant. He smiled widely and gained a sparkle similar to Ayame's.

"Of course he's home Satchan. Let's go see him, shall we?" He prompted her in gently, and she stepped in eagerly yet nervously. Yuki walked out in the hallway to greet them.

"Kisa, welcome, and I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Honda-san, Kisa's here!" He called to the kitchen. She hurried out joyfully, and gasped with happiness.

"Uwaaaah! Kisa-san!" She ran towards her.

"Onee-chan!" The two embraced happily.

"I'm so happy that you're better. Would you like something to eat?" Tohru asked.

"No thank you, I'm fine. I have something for Onii-kun, so I came to give it to him." Tohru and Yuki looked confused.

"I…don't think Kyo's home at the moment so-" Yuki was cut off by Shigure.

"Come along Satchan, he's this way." He started up the stairs with Kisa in tow. Both teens stood at the bottom of the steps dumbfounded for a second, then, at the same time, the 'on' switches were flipped in their heads.

"Ah!" Tohru said, while grabbing Yuki's arm and pulling him along up the steps. They caught up with the other two.

"Now remember," Shigure told the Zodiac Tiger. "He's undergoing a bit of surgery right now so-"

"YYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWCCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Everybody froze from a cry of pain echoing from Ed's room. Tohru hurried forward and banged open the door, with Shigure and Yuki close behind. Ed was writhing in pain on his bed, his breathing hard. Hohemheim looked apologetically towards his son.

"Sorry about that." He said. "I guess I was too caught up in the conversation." Ed glared daggers at his dad.

"_**You're supposed to tell me when you connect the nerves…**__"_ he said in a shaking voice. He then turned to the three others.

"Hi. Sorry about screaming like that."

"It's OK." Tohru said. "I just thought you were in trouble or something."

"Almost done," Hohemheim announced. "Just need to check the leg." Kisa, in the meantime, was peeking around the corner of the door shyly.

"Onii-kun?" She said quietly. Everyone looked at her. Ed's eyes went wide, a blush present on his face, and then he smiled in greeting.

"Hey, how you feeling?" He asked her as he sat up. She slowly walked up to him.

"Umm…I've got something for you."The Tiger said shyly. She opened her bag and pulled out a book.

"Momiji-chan told me all about you, so I went out and bought you this." He took the book from her and looked at the cover. It said "Alchemy" on the front, and had an unknown author. Ed gave her a rather lopsided grin.

"Thanks, this might help me get back home." Kisa seemed very happy that he liked her gift, while Hohemheim examined it closely.

"Looks like you've got yourself a bit of a lead." He commented, and turned to Kisa.

"You must be the Zodiac Tiger, nice to finally meet you." He shook her hand in greeting.

"Are you Onii-kun's father, Jii-san?" His eyes went wide at what she called Edward, and then nodded.

"Yes, and I'm finished." He said this last part to Ed, who flexed his new arm experimentally.

"How does it feel?" Yuki asked.

He climbed out of his bed and tested his upgraded leg out, twisting his fake arm as well.

"Feels pretty good," He replied. "Now I wonder if…" He looked at both his hands, and clapped them together.

"What are you doing?" Shigure asked. His question was answered when Ed placed his hands on the ground and a statue of a Dog was formed. Everyone looked very dumbfounded, minus Hohemheim.

"By putting the hands together," he recited. "Your form a transmutation circle with your body and allow alchemic power to flow easily." Ed suddenly fell to his knees, gasping for breath.

"Ed-san, what's wrong?" Everyone surrounded him in concern.

"I…guess…since I'm not properly connected to The Gate…using alchemy like that drains me some." He stood up and began to put his shirt back on. "I've got to be wise on how much I use I use it." Hohemheim then started going on about maintaining his arm.

"It's rust-resistant, so don't worry about getting it wet, and I added another layer over your leg so it won't rust either. It's slightly heavier, though. Both should last you a few moths so don't worry if you break it."

"You're starting to sound like Winry." Ed joked lightly.

"Who's Winry?" Yuki asked.

"Friend of mine, she's a mechanic so every time I would visit her she would always go on and on about how her inventions work and what's in them. It was enough to put somebody to sleep in seconds." Everyone laughed, and then Hohemheim stood up.

"I think I should be leaving. I've got a lot of orders coming in from around the world, and I don't want to leave my poor secretary alone to deal with all the phone calls, so take care of those limbs Edward, and don't go losing the other ones." He patted his son on the shoulder, and everyone tensed as they waited for Ed to retaliate. He didn't, and just said goodbye to his dad, as he left the room, escorted by Tohru.

"In any case," Shigure suddenly said. "Who wants dessert?"

"We've got some leftover ice cream in the freezer." Yuki reminded them, and proceeded to exit the room along with Shigure.

"I'd like some." Kisa offered as she trotted along behind them. "Would you like some Onii-kun?" She looked at him with bright eyes, and made Ed blush again. Fortunately, no one else noticed.

"Umm…sure." Kisa giggled, took his new metal hand and led him down the stairs, making Ed blush all the brighter. He was getting a little dizzy in the head, for her lilac scent swirled around him. His stomach felt like it was clenching up inside of him.

"_There's that feeling again."_ He noted. _"She is pretty…"_ And then he shook his head roughly to clear himself, and allowed Kisa to pull him into the kitchen.

Meanwhile, outside, Tohru was walking Ed's old man to his car parked near the house. It was silent until Hohemheim spoke again.

"Edward's become remarkably cheerful since I last saw him." He said to her as opened his car door. "And I think it's all because of you and the others."

"Oh no, I don't really think that it's-" he shook his head at her.

"Edward was always…tense…and unemotional back home. But…it seems like he's opened up some and isn't all that grim anymore. And it must certainly be because of you, Tohru. All I can ask of you…is that you continue to treat him as you do. He's been a lonely boy lately, because he always had Alphonse with him before. But now he doesn't look like that anymore. Thank you so much for looking after him."

"You're very welcome." She said happily. "Are you sure you won't get lonely without him?"

"No, I'm hardly at home nowadays, because I'm always off on business trips, and I'm practically the only person in this world that makes prosthetics that actually function like real arms and legs. Besides, it's a better idea to keep him here, with all of you."

Tohru waved goodbye as he drove off, and Hohemheim was left to his thoughts as he turned onto the road.

"_That girl…Kisa…and the way Edward was looking at her. I wonder if he's…"_ he shook his head. _"No, he knows the consequences for that, and I hope he can avoid them."_

* * *

**One week later…**

Students bustled in and out of the school entrance carrying boxes, bags and decorations. The sign above the gate read 'Kaibara Public High School Cultural Festival. Below it were flaps that had one word on them each: "Men…Delicate…Women". A boy with light brown hair stood next to a smaller girl with light orange hair. They stared at the sign for a second, until Hiro finally asked his dumbfounded friend,

"…Is that _supposed_ to look like a ransom note?" he shrugged it off, and walked towards the building, Kisa close behind him. Once inside, Hiro was on the lookout for anyone who might jump at his precious Kisa. She wasn't paying attention to anyone in particular, just excitedly talking about the play.

"I can't wait! Onee-chan's play is going to be so great!"

"My moneys on weird, if that entrance sign's an indication." The sarcastic Zodiac member stated, and then tapped Kisa on the shoulder. "Anyways, be careful around here." He warned her. She gave him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Hiro-chan." She replied. "This place may be crowded, but I won't bump into anyone."

_"That's not what worried about."_ He thought angrily. The Zodiac Tiger was getting plenty of attention from the high school students. To Hiro, they looked like hyenas. _"Stupid scum. GET LOST!!"_ His attention was averted when he spotted Momiji and Haru talking to another person, and even more when Kisa let out a delighted gasp. She ran right up to her fellow Zodiac members, but didn't greet them first.

"Onii-kun!" She shouted. The person-a blonde with his hair tied back in a braid, wearing a thick red sweater and white gloves-turned at her greeting, and stumbled back when she embraced his right arm. "I'm so glad you came. It's wonderful to see you!" He rubbed her on the head affectionately.

"Nice to see you, too." He told her. Momiji finished his conversation while Hiro (steaming with jealousy) approached what he presumed was the person Momiji told him about; the person from another world.

"I'm so glad you finally got an arm, though I was so used to seeing you without it it's a little weird." Haru nodded in agreement, and Ed didn't notice the Zodiac Ram until he was directly behind him and spoke to him.

"So you're the guy from another world." He said to him. Ed gasped quietly, and spun around to face Hiro, his eyes wide with shock. Hiro glared at him as his expression changed to confusion. Hiro snorted.

"What's your problem?" Speaking didn't seem to help the alchemist, for his eyes went wide again as he stared at Hiro intensely. He then just turned around and walked away, leaving the four bewildered Zodiac members in the hallway.

"Hiro-chan," Kisa began quietly. "Did you say something to make Onii-kun act that way before now?"

"This is the first time I've ever seen him." Hiro defended. "If he has issues when meeting with new people, then that's not my problem."

"I've never seen Ed-chan act that way before." Momiji said. Kisa hurried after him, much to Hiro's dismay.

"Hey, come back! You'll bump into someone!" He called to her. It was too late; she had already disappeared into the crowd.

Ed, in the meantime, was already seated for the play, and trying to calm his rapidly beating heart.

_"Calm yourself Elric!"_ He scolded himself. _"His voice just sounds like Al; he's not related to him in any way."_ The alchemist's tactics worked, but he still couldn't escape his shock. The blonde youth leaned back in his seat, sighing as he did so.

_"I actually thought that it was him for a second."_ Ed mentally kicked himself. _"Stop acting so disappointed. It wasn't Al, and there is no way that he can find his way here."_ He looked up to see Kisa approaching him worriedly.

"Onii-kun, did Hiro-chan say something mean to you before?" She asked him as she sat down in the seat next to him.

_"Damn it, now I'm making Kisa worried."_ He beat himself up a little more mentally before replying.

"No, I guess I was just caught off guard. Not his fault." He shoved the incident into the back of his mind before seeing Haru, Hiro and Momiji walking into the room. Momiji ran over and plopped down in the other seat next to Ed.

"I brought a video camera so we can record everything." To Ed's relief the Rabbit was bouncy again.

"What play is it anyway?" Hiro asked Momiji.

"'Sorta Cinderella'." The room was filling up quickly, and the play was ready to start. A curtain fell across the stage, revealing the class involved and the play's title.

_"Is that really the title?"_ Everyone thought in unison. The curtains then swung open, and a narrator walked onstage. The spotlight was directed on him.

**"Once upon at time, there lived a beautiful young girl named Cinderella. Due to various circumstances, she was regularly tormented by her stepmother and stepsister. But since her heart was also beautiful, she lived nobly and humbly."** After he said this Tohru, along with Minami, walked onstage.

"There's Tohru!" Momiji pointed out, and zoomed the camera in on her.

"Onee-chan looks so pretty." Kisa added.

"Cinderella! Where are you Cinderella?!" Minami called. "Have you finished our dresses Cinderella? The Royal Ball is being held at the palace tonight!"

"Here I am." The spotlight then shown on Hana, who was sitting and casually drinking tea.

"_**HOW DARE YOU SIT THERE DRINKING TEA?! YOU'D BETTER HAVE OUR DRESSES, IF YOU'RE LOUNGING AROUND LIKE THAT!**_"

"You can't possibly expect an amateur to make a decent dress." 'Cinderella' told her 'stepmother' calmly. "Bu if you're willing to be a laughingstock, then I accept the job."

"_**I HAVE TO ADVANCE THE STORY, YOU LITTLE BRAT! BUT DON'T YOU DARE EMBARRESS ME!!**_" Hana ignored her and turned to Tohru.

"More importantly, Onee-sama, would you like some tea?"

'Oh, may I?"

"No more frivolities for you!" Minami shouted.

_"That's an…interesting Cinderella."_

**"A ball was to be held at the palace that night. Rumor had it that Prince Charming was using the ball to find a bride. The stepmother was eager to marry her daughter into the royal family, in hopes of attaining a life of ease and comfort."** Minami, in the meantime, was dragging poor Tohru off the stage.

"_**IF YOU WANT YOUR PRECIOUS SISTER BACK, THEN HURRY AND FINISH THE DRESSES!**_"

"Onee-sama! How terrible. My sister is taken away because some prince wanted a ball. I won't forgive this, little prince." She said darkly.

"**Cinderella seemed deeply in love with a prince she had never met.**"

"I need a plan to storm the palace, but I have those dresses to finish."

"Don't worry. Everything will be alright." The spotlight turned on, and Yuki walked delicately on stage. Flashes from various cameras came from all over the room. And his fan club along with the former student council president began crying.

_"He's an angel!"_ Motoko thought. Yuki' s gaze briefly rested on the audience before turning back to Hana. He knew, despite all the love and admiration that was showering him, that he was being laughed at.

That person turned out to be Ed, who had fallen out of his seat and was biting his flesh hand to keep himself from bursting.

"_What the hell is wrong with these guys?"_ Ed thought as he shook with laughter. By the time Kisa had helped him up, the scene had changed to the Royal Ball, where Kyo was sitting on the floor looking exasperated. Uo played another prince.

"What are you brooding about sunshine?" She asked him. "We threw this giant thing for you. Now go pick a lady."

"Shut up, will you? I already told you I'm not interested." He retorted.

"No wonder you're a virgin." She answered, and made Kyo all the more annoyed.

"You're shameless, you infuriating sack of skin!! Take a trip to the store and buy yourself some dignity!!"

"I'm worried about you, you stupid lug! And this is the thanks I get?! Go buy yourself some courtesy!" Ed started chuckling again, and was enjoying every minute of this play.

"**Despite the persuasion of his fellow prince, Prince Charming could not be convinced to dance.**" Everyone watched as many girls asked 'Prince Charming' to dance, and in turn he refused to dance with them.

"Prin-"

"I'M NOT DANCING, DAMMIT!!!" Kyo spun around to face the girl, and Ed fell out of his seat again when he Kyo's expression when he realized it was Tohru.

"I-I see. I beg your pardon." She turned away, leaving a dumbfounded Kyo.

"WAI-"

"**He also, of course, refused to dance with the stepsister.**" The narrator told him. Kyo looked like he was going to protest.

"**Refused to dance with the stepsister…**" he finished in an ominous voice. The Cat walked back to Uo.

"…Why am I doing this?" he asked himself.

"**While the cheer of the guests filled the palace dance hall, Prince Charming fell deeper into despair.**" Hana walked onstage a second later, suited up in a completely black dress.

"Here we are. The ball." She said. Tohru gasped happily.

"Wow! That woman is so beautiful!"

"_Cinderella's wearing…black…"_ Ed thought in shock.

"Hey, check out that piece of tart. Ask her to dance." Uo urged.

"_No._" The Zodiac member answered.

"**After falling instantly in love with Cinderella's beauty, Prince Charming asked the fair maiden to dance.**"

"NO WAY!"

"**Yes, way. As per the narrator.**" 'Cinderella' had spotted the refreshment table while he said this.

"Oh my, they have Yakiniku." She began to help herself. Kyo stomped over to her.

"Hey you! Get over here…AND DANCE WITH ME!!!" he commanded.

"Eh…" was all she said, before turning back to the table.

"She turned me down." Kyo said in relief.

"Don't kill yourself looking upset." Uo's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"**Try again, Prince Charming.**" The narrator told him.

"You don't know what I'm going through, so stop pushing me around!!"

"Just can it and go ya big baby!"

"**He composed himself and went to talk calmly with Cinderella, didn't he Prince Charming?**"

"Nn…fine…" He walked back to Hana. "Hey, you!"

"I'm very busy right now." She replied matter-of-factly.

"Did you just come here for the meat?" he asked her. The psychic sighed.

"What is it? Do you have business with me?"

"W-would you…like…to talk..to me?" He said uneasily.

"Talk? Very well." She turned around to fade him. "Your aura is so pleasant tonight that it makes my brain throb." Kyo looked away in a state of nervousness.

"I'm begging you. Choose an easier topic of conversation." To his immense relief the bell marking midnight sounded off.

"Oh, how very terrible. I'm afraid I must be going." She handed her chopsticks and a glass slipper to Kyo. "Now you can't say I never gave it to you." She turned and trotted off.

"Uh…right. No offense, but you have no emotions."

"**Cinderella, who's spell was limited to the strike of midnight, left Prince Charming with her heart torn in two. She left a single glass slipper in her delicate wake.**" Uo snatched the slipper from him.

"Use this to go find her." She said, stating the obvious.

"Huh? Oh, whatever, I couldn't care le-" He was cut off by Uo, who hit him in the face with the shoe.

"This is a _gift_! A gift that will lead you back to her! Don't waste gifts!! Think of all the star-crossed lovers who would kill for things this easy!!" She suddenly broke character. "All those star-crossed lovers…who just wanna see each other…COME SEE ME, DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!" She screamed to the sky, and stomped off the stage in a fury.

"**Though his fellow prince was biased, Prince Charming took the advice. He finally realized his true, deepest feelings: 'I wish I could see her.' he thought sadly.**"

"I beg to differ." Ed laughed under his breath as he guessed what was on Kyo's mind.

"**He tried to fit the glass slipper on every girl in town,**" The narrator said as the scene changed. "**deciding that the one who fit the shoe was his beloved Cinderella. He at last came to the home of Cinderella and her family.**"

"I'm afraid that's not my slipper." Tohru told the person who held the glass slipper.

"Are there any other young ladies in this house?" He asked the 'stepmother'.

"Not even a mouse." Minami replied.

"Fine, let's get the hell out of here." Kyo turned to leave.

"P-please wait! You haven't yet seen Cinderella-san." Tohru brought up. The Cat about had a heart-attack.

"That was unnecessary information." He said darkly.

"**Just a minute, Prince Charming! That information was very necessary.**" The narrator reminded him.

"Calm this violence." Hana warned as she stepped onstage. "I will never forgive he who harms Onee-sama. I was expecting you, Prince. That slipper is certainly the one I left you…now give it back to me." The crowd looked shock at her arrogance.

"I know why you've come." She stepped protectively in front of Tohru. "You've come to ask for Onee-sama's hand in marriage." Kyo turned redder than a tomato.

"WHY WOULD I…SHE'S NOT…ARE YOU STUPID?! OF COURSE NOT!!"

"Then you're here for me? That's rather nightmarish."

"That's more like hell then a nightmare to me!!"

"Then be clear Prince, why are you here?" she spoke very ominously. "Tell me this: Do you plan to live a lie the rest of your life? Locked in your castle, deceiving yourself daily, and only stopping at the moment you die?" Silence ensued her question, and Kyo straightened up.

"So what if I do? You can't tell me that would bother anyone. What happens to me is my own-"

"WAIT!" Tohru protested. "But that would make me…very…" She looked horrified as she realized what she had said.

"I-I'm sorry! Never mind what I just said. I interrupted you, I'm sorry. Please go on with the story!" Kyo stared at her in shock for a second, and then started when Yuki walked back onstage.

"About that story, I couldn't help but overhear you." He stated.

"Ah, my loyal servant has arrived." Hana announced.

"Although I'm not your servant, I realize that you marrying the prince would only end in heartbreak. So I will ask one more time: What is it that truly wish for?" Hana thought about it for a moment.

"I want to manage a yakiniku shop with Onee-sama." She replied. Yuki nodded.

"In that case-Prince Charming, support them in their business." He commanded.

"I thought you were granting the wish." Kyo retaliated.

"Prince charming, I won't ask what you wish for, I only hope it comes true by your own two hands."

"Wha-" was all Kyo could get out before applause broke out among the female members of the audience.

"WHAT WONDERFUL JUDGEMENT!!" Minami said happily.

"**And so Cinderella chose a path with no princes. And her yakiniku shop was blessed with good business. After proving that a woman can live a full life without marriage, she most certainly lived happily ever after.**" The curtains closed, and the applause rose to a roar.

"Crud…what was that supposed to be?" Hiro asked as the alchemist sitting beside Kisa whooped.

"We already told you." Momiji reminded him, closing the video camera and shutting it down.

"Sorta Cinderella." Haru added.

* * *

"You were awesome Tohru." Edward praised her as they took food to their friends. "It was a great play."

"Ah ha ha, thank you!" She replied happily. "Uo-chan and Hana-chan did well as well."

"Let's see, Uo was the one who played that other prince, and Hana was Cinderella, right?" he recited. Tohru nodded.

"Yes, they're my best friends." She hurried to the room where they all were waiting. Everyone, minus Uo and Hana, sat at a table.

"Order up!" Ed announced as he slid the boxes of food onto the table, and took a spot beside Kisa, which made Hiro furious.

_"Compose yourself Hiro."_ He told himself. _"Be a man and don't take anything out on him."_

"Hey, Ed-chan, after this we'll show you around the school a little more." Momiji offered. "They have lots of stuff to see and do."

"Sure, why not?" He responded after slurping up a mouthful of spicy noodles.

"I'll come too, Onii-kun. Can I see the choir while we're out?" Kisa asked.

"Well, you'd better hurry, they start in ten minutes." Haru glanced at the clock.

"Uh-oh!" Momiji quickly finished off his food and stood up. "Come on, let's go Tohru. Or we won't get good spots!"

"Um…but I need to finish my food." She looked down at the half-empty box in front of her. "And Uo-chan and Hana-chan need to get their food."

"You can take it with you." Yuki said to her. "And I'll make sure the food gets to them. Go have some fun, you've earned it."

"Ok, and thank you Yuki-kun!" She picked up her food and followed Momiji out the door. Ed slurped down the last of the noodles, and followed them out the door. Kisa picked up her box as well.

"I'm going with Onii-kun, bye everyone!" She hurried after her 'big brother'. The Zodiac Ram used every ounce of control not to burst. Haru noted him clenching his hands and low growl.

"Looks like you've got some competition." The carefree Cow stated, and only made Hiro all the more annoyed.

"I'm trying to keep myself calm, don't rub it in." He grunted through gritted teeth. "Why is she so attached to him? All Kisa does is talk about that guy, and it gets on my nerves."

"Didn't she tell you?" Yuki said in a surprised voice. "When Kisa ran away after her parents death, Elric-san found her, and pulled her out of her depression." Hiro listened with wide eyes. "I wasn't there, but Shigure-san told me some of the details. When Shigure-san saw her, she had transformed, and was clinging to Elric-san desperately. She wouldn't even let go of him as they walked back to the house." The Ram felt jealousy boil in his stomach.

_"I was looking for her on that day, too. Why did Kisa have to be found by him? And why is he so disturbed when I talk? He's really starting to tick me off."_ He thought murderously.

Ed was walking down the hall when Kisa caught up to him. He turned at the sound of running footsteps.

"I can't wait to see the choir. They're singing lots of different songs." Ed then noticed she was carrying her food box, and reached for it.

"I'll hold onto this until we get to the choir, alright?" he asked her as he lifted the heavy box out of her hands.

"Yes. I'm so glad I can enjoy the cultural festival with you, Onii-kun." She smiled at him sincerely, and made Ed blush again.

"Yeah, me too." Kisa took his metallic hand, and held it all the way to the choir's performance.

* * *

Hana followed Uo down the hallway, who was still chattering excitedly about the _**"Mito Koumon"**_ play.

"This is gonna be a kickass play. Shame you don't want to see it." She said sadly at her friend.

"I've had enough plays for one day, Arisa." Hana protested. "Perhaps Tohru-kun would like to see it with you. Ah, speaking of which." Tohru came walking towards them with Momiji, and spotted them quickly.

"Uo-chan, Hana-chan, hello!" She ran right up to them. "You both were fabulous in the play."

"I thought you made a very pretty Cinderella!" Momiji told the psychic. "I recorded the whole play, so I'll send you a copy.

"Why thank you." She said.

"Hey Tohru, you want to come see the next play with me?" Uo asked her. She shook her head.

"Actually, we were on our way to see the choir perform. But if you want me to come, then I guess I can…"

"Never mind." The yankee stopped her. "Go see the choir, have fun."

"Oh, and I got you some food but I left it with Yuki-kun, and he's in the next room."

"Thanks a lot, Tohru."

Hana was so wrapped in the conversation that the intense wave of emotion that hit her so suddenly made her flinch. It caught her off guard completely. She glanced around the hallway intently. It did not go unnoticed by the others.

"Hana-chan, what's wrong?" Tohru asked. Hana ignored her, and continued to look around until she spotted the source of it: A blonde boy walking by with one of Tohru's Sohma friends. She recognized him because he was in the audience watching their play. He was smiling, but Hana knew that was not what he was truly feeling.

And then she heard it: His inner voice. It echoed in her ears, and that meant that he had it buried very deeply. His voice was a scream of anguish so powerful that it brought tears to Hana's eyes. She let them fall.

"AAAHHH! Hana-chan, what is it?" Tohru grabbed her friends sleeve and tried to get her attention. She then followed her friend's sad gaze to Ed, who was a good distance away from them by now, and immediately understood. Never in Hana's life had she ever heard a voice so hurt and painful, and so very well hidden. If he had not walked by her now she would not have noticed.

"_He was in the audience. Why am I hearing his voice now?"_ she wondered. And she noticed something else in his heart-it was the biggest thing in there: a boy with a being dragged away by long black hands as he screamed in fear, and, to Hana, reached out to her in desperation. Hana could hear the small boy crying out as well in the memory, and see him clearly.

"_Brother!!! Brother!!! HELP ME!!!!!"_

"_NO!!!!!!! ALPHONSE!!!!!!!!!!"_

"_AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"_

There were tears of terror in his eyes, and that only brought a fresh wave of tears to the psychic's eyes. It took all of Hana's will not to move; to reach out to him and save him. And then he disintegrated. In his place was…

"…armor…" She said aloud. Tohru, Uo, and Momiji looked at her in confusion.

"Uh, Saki?" Uo ventured. "Are you feeling alright?" she was ignored.

"…a small…boy…trapped in a suit of armor…always in pain…" she choked out, and tried to hide her tears, to no avail.

"Hana-chan, are you OK?" Tohru held out a handkerchief to her. She shakily took it.

"I'm fine Tohru-kun." She muttered as she wiped her face. "My head hurts, and I want to go home." She hurried away from Uo and Momiji, who were left very confused.

"What's wrong with her?" Momiji asked uneasily.

"I think we should follow her Uo-chan." Tohru started off in that general direction, but was stopped by the yankee.

"I think Saki needs to be left alone, just leave her be." Tohru stared worriedly after her as Hana headed for the entrance.

"_She was looking at Ed-san when she started crying. Hana-chan…must've heard his true voice. Is it so painful…that nobody could hope to soothe it? Why is he…hurting…why won't he tell us? And how can he carry so much pain, without us seeing any trance of it?"_

Megumi was waiting for Hana at the entrance. He noticed the somber expression on her face as he handed her a coat.

"Saki? What did you hear?" he asked her. She was silent before answering.

"I heard a voice that carried anguish and suffering beyond anything I've ever heard before. It far exceeds Tohru-kun's, Arisa's, and my pain. It caught me off guard, so I just needed to get away from it." She walked away from the school until the quiet yet painful voice faded.

The voice may have disappeared, but the memory of the boy's terrified face still haunted her.

* * *

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ ………I think I went too crazy with the ending……

_**Malfunctioning AI UNIT:**_ I hear it's amazing when the famous purple stuffed worm in flap-jaw space with the tuning fork does a raw blink on Hara-kiri Rock. I need scissors! 61!

_**Hohemheim:**_ Quote, the malfunctioning AI UNIT posing as Colonel Campbell in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.

_**Yuki:**_ I still don't get why you're so into Raiden nowadays.

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ RAIDEN IS AWSOME!!! I suppose you would like to take on DNA based bipedal robots, a practically undead nanomachine monster, stop a 50-million ton ship from crashing into the person you are trying to protect just by holding it back, endure multiple swords stabbed in various places in your torso all at once, and have to face the fact that even though you're a killing machine and 2/3's of your body is fake, you have a son!

_**Yuki:**_ *plays through MGS 4* …I stand corrected.

_**Hana:**_ Do you enjoy torturing me?

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Sorry about the end of this chapter. I just wanted to experiment on how the suffering Ed's endured would impact Hana-chan. Maybe I went too far, but I liked it. And I want to know how you all liked it! R&R please, and tone down the flames! Next chapter coming soon, hopefully. See you all soon!


	8. Melted Snowflakes

**_

* * *

_**

**_Author's Notes: _**Lately I've been looking to video games for inspiration, and the scary part is that it's been working, particularly since I started replaying the "Metroid Prime" trilogy. I might not know who did the music, but I will be sure to tell you what game the music is from. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. The scenes that go in sync with the Fruits basket manga also belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei. Everything else mentioned belongs to their rightful creators and owners. Plot belongs to me.

_**Inspiration for this Chapter:**_ Snow Road from Paper Mario, Starborn Valley from Paper Mario, Phendrana Drifts from Metroid Prime, Ice Chapel from Metroid Prime, and Torbira No Mukou He from the Fullmetal Alchemist Soundtrack

* * *

Chapter 8

Melted Snowflakes

**City Streets, 8:00 A.M…**

The year was coming to a close. People moved up and down the streets of the city carrying cleaning supplies and ingredients for meals. Amidst it all was a teen with bright orange hair jogging in the early air of the morning. He had been up since five exercising, and now was heading home for a rest. As he turned off on one of the streets, he slowed to a walk.

_"The Cultural Festival tore through pretty fast, and now the year is coming to a close. Everyone's busy nowadays. Shigure has a novel to finish, that damn rat has student council, and the pipsqueak has all that research stuff. She's pretty busy, too, with the housework and her job. She visits Rin in the hospital a lot as well."_ Kyo felt a stab in his heart as he thought of his beloved.

_"Tohru. I want to burn it into my memory, and then forget it all."_ He walked inside and slipped off his shoes, and then stopped short after seeing what was on the TV in the living room.

"What the hell is this?" Shigure gave him an exasperated look.

"You're predictably dreary."

"Welcome home, Prince Charming." Ed joked through a mouthful of food. Kyo immediately reached over and shut down the TV.

"HEY!!!" The alchemist, the dog, and Momiji shouted.

"That stupid play is staying off the TV." He commanded.

"But it's being broadcast nationwide." Shigure told him. Kyo jumped with shock.

"YOU'RE KIDDING!!!!"

"I'm kidding." The Cat punched the nearest wall in annoyance.

"Kyo's pretty dumb with modern technology." Momiji laughed.

"Weird," Ed stated. "Since I'm the one who should be pretty clueless about how stuff works around here."

"Yes, you should be." Shigure agreed. "But you spend most of your time at the library and reading all those books Sensei sends you, so you're both a genius and the only person who can beat Kazuma. I wonder how you manage to balance training and research."

"'To train the mind, one first has to train the body.' That's what my teacher always said." Ed added. Tohru in the meantime, was attempting to explain to Kyo what a DVD was.

"It's called a DVD, Kyo-kun. It's an amazing thing that can have lots of things on it and copy lots of things."

"Thank you for the expert opinion. I'm sure they had to explain that to you." Kyo said back. Tohru looked depressed after he said that, and then perked up.

"But…well, isn't it amazing? People can move and talk on a DVD, it's much more real than a photo. It's like pictures that are alive." Kyo felt a pang in his chest after seeing her bright smile. He was snapped out of it by a request from Shigure.

"Kyo-kun, we were watching that, so be a dear and scram, will you?" He asked.

"Yeah, stop being a jerk and leave." Ed added. Kyo didn't respond immediately, just turned around first.

"…do what you want." The Cat muttered.

"Kyo-kun!" Tohru called. "Please remember to wipe off your sweat. You don't want to catch a cold!" He gave her a smile as he left the room. Momiji bounded up to Tohru after he headed up the stairs.

"Tohru, let's make pancakes for breakfast!" he suggested.

"Okay!"

"Sounds great to me!" Ed said joyfully. Tohru started to the kitchen, but paused to look back at the TV screen, where Uo was shouting to the sky, begging her 'star-crossed lover' to come and see her.

_"Even after all this time, Uo-chan still wants to see Kureno-san."_ She sighed as the brunette turned away, walked to the kitchen, and started pulling out ingredients. _"I guess it would be difficult for him to be with her, what with curse and the eternal bond between the Zodiac members. But, does even he want to see her? Another reason why I want to break the curse, I want him and Uo-chan to have a chance together. But what can I do, when I don't even have a lead?"_

"…hello…Tohru?" the alchemist's voice snapped her out of her soliloquy, and she jumped again.

"WAHHHH!!! Um…E-Ed-san?" He stared at her curiously.

"Are you alright?" He asked as she came to realize she had left the water running in the sink while she thought, and the measuring cup was overflowing.

"Oops!" She rushed to turn it off. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't notice! I just had some things on my mind." He tilted his head questioningly, but shrugged it off.

"Never mind. Just don't space out while you're cooking, 'kay?" He patted her on the shoulder, and began walking out, Tohru's gaze following him. She then remembered what had happened to Hana-chan when she spotted him walking down the hall.

_'…a small…boy…trapped in a suit of armor…always in pain…'_

"E-Ed-san…" she started. He turned back to her.

"Yeah?" Tohru felt her voice freeze suddenly, and all her thoughts stopped in her tracks. She thought better of it.

"N-Never mind." She said quietly, and turned back to what she was doing, all the while feeling his golden eyes boring into the back of her head. Tohru felt his curiosity burn off a moment later and heard his uneven footsteps leave the kitchen.

_"I CAN'T ASK HIM!!!"_ She thought dejectedly. _"Why did I freeze up like that? I thought I had finally worked up the courage to say something."_ She leaned over the sink in defeat, and then tried to return to making food.

_"He is in pain, and it must have something to do with the memory Hana-chan told me about. She said that it was a small boy being dragged away by long hands, crying out for his brother. That must've been Alphonse-san, and the hands that tried to drag Ed-san back into the hole he came out of. It must've been the memory of him losing his brother. I couldn't find the courage to bring it up with him after that. But…what did Hana-chan mean by armor?"_ She took out a frying pan and began mixing the pancake batter. When she was finished Tohru poured it out onto the pan and let it sit, a spatula at the ready in her hands.

"_It makes me worry about him, when he keeps things to himself. I know I shouldn't pry; we all have voices…that we want no one else to hear. But Hana-chan never cried around Yuki-kun or Kyo-kun when she heard their inner voices. She cried the moment she set eyes on him. It must be really bad; something that he did but wants to completely forget about it. Is he afraid it will horrify us, or is he afraid that…"_ The timer sounded off, startling Tohru out of her depressed thoughts. Momiji then bounded in.

"I call the first pancake!" He announced to the two men in the living room.

"It's not quite ready, so it'll be a few more minutes." She flipped the pancake carefully.

Breakfast passed without disturbance, other than Momiji provoking Ed into another one of his 'short' rants. The alchemist broke a personal record by not breaking anything while in rage mode. Shigure left for the main house, and Yuki arrived three hours later, back from student council duties.

"Where's Kyo at?" He asked as he cut up hamburgers for lunch.

"He's asleep, and that only means that he was awake at five." Momiji explained. "Look Yuki, I can cut the hamburger into the shape of a rat!" It indeed looked a lot like Yuki. He chuckled slightly.

"And here's Momiji." He sliced the burger into a rabbit head. Tohru laughed.

"I want to do Kyo-kun!" She began working on the slab of meat in front of her. "Ed-san, do you want to do one?" He looked up from chopping lettuce.

"Nah, I'm good."

"How 'bout this one, huh?! It's Tohru!" Momiji suddenly said. He held up her hamburger.

"Wow, thank you so much!" she clapped her hands together happily.

"I wonder if it'll cook properly in that shape." Yuki wondered.

"I might actually be able to use alchemy and cook it!" Ed offered. "Folks back home used to say that alchemy originated in a kitchen." All four laughed, but the arrival of Kyo stopped that, after they all saw the state he was in.

"Kyo-kun?!" Tohru exclaimed.

"What's wrong? You look really pale!"

"Are you sick or something?" Ed prompted. The orange haired teen rubbed his forehead.

"No…I just woke up…" He wiped sweat from his face.

"I know!" Momiji said. "You had a scary dream, didn't you? You get those when you sleep at weird times."

"What was it about?" Tohru asked him. "I heard it's good to talk about scary dreams." Kyo hesitated.

"What it was…um…what _was_ it about?" He seemed to have forgotten.

"Don't deliberate in front of Honda-san, you'll only worry her." Yuki scolded lightly. Kyo snorted, and for a moment was left to his thoughts, until Tohru pulled him out of it.

"Kyo-kun, we're having hamburger for lunch today, yours is in the shape of a cat!" She said. "But if you're not feeling well, then I can fix you something lighter." He smiled, and rubbed her on the head playfully.

"I'm fine, so don't worry." Unbeknownst to him, only one other person saw through his muse.

* * *

**That night…**

Sitting on the rooftop and sulking wasn't helping Kyo one bit, neither was being alone. The memories and his recent nightmare kept cropping its way back into his head. It had been a warning, and he was going to listen to it. As the cursed teen gazed up at the stars, visions of his early life flashed before him. When his mother died, her funeral, the time when Kazuma took him in, the first time he had met Kyoko, and the last time he saw her.

He wanted nothing more than to forget the memory of Tohru's mother lying dead on the street. It had plagued him when he was hiding out in the mountains, and he was certain that it would remain with him until he went to the grave. He could only wait for his time in high school to end, and then be taken away to be locked up forever, like all the previous Cats. Tohru meant so much to him, but there would come a time when he would have to leave her forever.

"_I was thinking about the impossibilities, and that's why I had the nightmare. I won't go near her like that again. Just don't do that, please…"_ he pleaded silently to the heavens where he thought Kyoko was. _"Tohru…could never like me. Not a chance…I'm such a moron for thinking like that, I have no right to."_ He lowered his head and sighed, willing his tears to stay within his eyes.

"For some reason, I just knew I was 'gonna find you up here." Kyo looked up to see Ed looking at him perplexingly at him. Kyo stared dumbfounded at him.

"How'd you get up here?" He asked. The State Alchemist jerked a thumb behind him, where a large pillar of stone stuck out of the ground. It was high enough to reach the rooftop, and Ed had obviously ridden it to the top of the house.

Kyo wondered why he hadn't heard the sound of it rising up from the ground. He huffed and turned his head away. Ed flopped down beside him. Upon turning back to him, Kyo could see beads of sweat on his forehead, and his breathing was heavy. Clearly the effort to get up there left him exhausted.

"You've been sulking all day, what's up with that?" He asked him. "You're usually raring for a fight." Kyo groaned.

"I told you, it's nothing." He muttered. "And…I don't like bringing it up. _Ever_." Silence ensued for a moment.

"I've got things…that I don't like to think about either." Kyo gazed at the blonde youth when he spoke again. "But they come up at the worst moments, and it nearly overwhelms me. And I try to lock it away; I try to forget it ever happened. Ironically enough, I needed those memories to keep going." He stopped talking, and the silence wasn't broken. The Cat recalled what Yuki had said to him and Shigure at the onsen.

_'Do you guys…ever get the feeling…that he's hiding something?'_

Kyo finally felt the need to tell him.

"………you know that car accident…that Tohru's mom was in…?" Ed nodded, surprised that he had brought the subject up. "…I knew her mom…from when I was younger. We would always talk at this one place. She told me about her husband, her life, how he met her…and about Tohru." He shuddered for a moment before continuing.

"…I was there…right there…when her mom was hit by that car. I recognized her right away. The color of her hair, her profile...I was there…and she walked out into the street. I noticed the car right away, and I was…going to help her out, and stop her. But…I'm not…human." He whispered. "…if I had…held her back…I would've transformed in front of everyone. She walked out there…and the car struck her." Kyo's entire body was shaking by now.

"If I hadn't protected myself...she wouldn't have gone flying...into the air…she wouldn't have felt...all that pain. All I do is cause others pain. It would be better…if I didn't exist at all. I…took her away from Tohru. I…I let her die…" He forgot he was talking to the young alchemist, and that he was on the rooftop. All he could think about was all the pain he had caused Tohru. He hated himself for this so much that he believed the only way to make up for it was to die.

The next thing that Ed said, however, immediately pulled him out of his painful thoughts.

"I'm…no different from you. In fact, I'm worse." He looked up from his hunched over position to look at the alchemist.

"You say that you've caused people pain, well so have I." His golden eyes became unfocused, as if they were lost in memory.

"When I joined the military, my reputation as a member of the State got me into quite a bit of trouble. Al…was always in danger because of me. But he didn't want me to leave him home, where it was safe. He wanted to be with me, and I didn't look out for him enough. He gave his life for me, and I couldn't save him! I was such an idiot!!!" He smashed his fist into the roof tiles, tensing up and shuddering. Kyo waited until he calmed down before he spoke again.

"Do you know why the Cat is looked down upon? Why he was left out of the Zodiac, and why he is to be confined for life?" He asked him. Ed recalled that Tohru had told him that Kyo was to be confined, but never told him the reason. Ed shook his blonde-covered head.

"There is another form of the Cat." He held out his beads. "When these are taken off, I turn into a hideous monster. It's part of my curse, and that's why everyone hates me. They all look down on me as though they feel that…they're better off than me. That is why the Cat must be locked away, because I'm a monster more disgusting then all of them. We're all monsters; we don't enjoy being what we are." It was silent again for a surprisingly short time.

"You say you're all monsters? You aren't, and I'm not saying that out of pity, because I've come across people who are absolutely disgusting. They were all alchemists." Kyo managed to pull himself out of his pain enough to listen, and he grew more aware and horrified as Ed continued.

"Me and my brother worked with this State Alchemist at one time, back before I got my State license. His name was Shou Tucker, the Life-Sewing Alchemist. His specialty was creating chimeras: two animals transmuted together through alchemy." Ed swallowed a lump in his throat before he continued, most likely to steady his voice. "He got into the State by creating a chimera that talked like a human. Al and I…wanted to see that. While we were there at his place, He created another one…" The alchemist didn't even try to hide the anger and horror in his tone.

"…he created that very chimera…by combining his dog and his daughter, Nina." Kyo let out a nearly silent gasp. "She was…only five years old…so innocent. She was always so happy when we would come over for our research. But he turned her into a monster. We reported him, and they going to turn her into a lab animal. So I…set her free, and she ran off. I don't know what happened after that, but the last I saw of her…was her bloody remains…splattered all over that wall." He paused to try and keep himself from crying, ignoring the intense and shocked gaze of Kyo.

"_I was a monster, and no different from Tucker. I turned Al into a suit of armor, and when we tried to bring Mom back to life, we created a monster as well: Sloth."_ He eventually found his voice again.

"You say that you weren't able to save Tohru's mother, well I wasn't able to save Nina. We can't stay behind and grieve over every lost cause. One has to keep going, for the people that care about them, for the people that love them." He let out a quivering sigh.

"…we're messed up, aren't we?" Kyo stated. Ed managed a slight laugh.

"Yeah…me especially." He grinned slightly. "Ya' know, the Zodiac members aren't handicapped if they choose to live a normal life. No matter what you say, you're still human, Kyo. Humans live, they interact with one another, they care for some people, they hurt others, and they fall in love." Kyo tensed, and it did not go unnoticed.

"Look, it's pretty obvious how you feel about Tohru." He punched him playfully in the shoulder, and Kyo snorted, at the same time turning red.

"Is it that obvious?" He asked, more to himself than Ed, who sighed.

"Yup, I've been in this house long enough to see it." The alchemist joked, and then turned serious. "Do you want to be with her?"

"I don't think I have the right to." Ed glared at him.

"That wasn't my question. Do you want to be with her? Do you want to not get locked up and be free to love her?" Kyo groaned.

"Yes…I want to be with her…forever…because I love her." Kyo dropped his gaze.

"Listen, everyone makes mistakes; it's proof that you're human." Ed reminded him. "Do you think that Tohru would want you to wallow in misery for the rest of your days?" Kyo began to grow angry.

"She would hate me if she knew what I did. I'm the reason she's an orphan." He whispered. Ed stood up, exhausted from the intense array of emotions that had hit him earlier.

"You think that? Well, you must be thinking of a different person." He smiled slightly. "Because that certainly doesn't sound like the Tohru I know." He walked off the roof to the stone pillar. When he climbed on top of it, he clapped his hands, placed them on the surface. A flash of blue light followed as he made his descent. Kyo felt his frustration fade, as well as some of the pain in his chest.

* * *

**Two weeks later…**

"Hey Elric-san!" Yuki called. "Give me a hand with this, please?" The Rat, along with Tohru and Kyo, was lifting up and moving a huge bookcase.

"Just a second!" The alchemist came running into the living room and wrapped his hands around the bottom. They all began to move it to the other end of the room.

"Tell me again, why are we doing this?" He grunted. They all let out a sigh of relief as they dropped it safely in position.

"We have three days until New Years Day, so we have clean up and get ready for the upcoming year!" Tohru explained. "Did you ever have anything like that in your world?"

"Yeah, something like that. It's on the same date as this one, only we don't rearrange the furniture." Ed muttered. In truth, it had been five years since he properly celebrated New Year's Day. For a long time for him, the New Year counted on the third of October. Another year with automail, another year for Al being stuck in a suit of armor, another year in the military, another year without a lead to the Philosophers Stone, and another year since they burned their house down and never went back.

"The time line and date here is different somewhat, so it screwed around with my head there for a little while. I'm pretty much used to this world, so don't worry too much." He told her. She smiled and nodded. A loud crash sounded off a second later, making the pair jump. They turned quickly to see that the TV had fallen off the stand and the screen had shattered. Behind it was Kyo, frozen in his position.

"You stupid cat!!" Yuki shouted. "You're supposed to take the TV _off_ the stand before you move it!!"

"I knew that! Now shut up, 'ya damn rat!" he retorted.

"You're paying for a new one out of your own pocket!"

"Who's 'gonna make me?! You?!" That was a mistake, for Yuki immediately grabbed Kyo by the arm, and threw him to the floor. He was pinned down in less than a second.

"I hardly think that you're in a good position to argue." He said darkly. "Now pay up."

"Never!" Yuki tightened his grip, and as he was about to throw Kyo into a wall, he felt a cold, metallic hand grab him by the scruff of his neck. He saw a flesh one seize Kyo, and then got a close up view of the Cat's confused face before Yuki's skull collided with his. Both faces where then forced to turn to face the annoyed yet amused alchemist staying at their home.

"Hey, we have chores to get done so let's get moving. And calm down, I'll fix it." He scolded them. He walked up to the broken TV set, clapped his hands, and had it fixed in less than a minute. The effort left him slightly breathless.

"Are you OK Ed-san?" Tohru asked him in concern.

"No, I'm fine." He stood back up a little shakily, rubbing his temple. Yuki, in the meantime, was mentally slapping himself for not turning to Ed in the first place.

They continued to clean throughout the whole day until the entire house was dust free, and then proceeded to eat dinner. It began to snow again, just like it had the previous day. By now the ground was covered in at least a foot of snow.

"Tohru-kun, who are you going to stay with during the New Year?" Shigure asked her. Dinner that night was curry, kale and yakinabe.

"I'm still not sure."

"Wait, where are you guys going?" Ed interrupted.

"Shigure and I have to go back to the main house for the Zodiac banquet. And Kyo is going to stay at Kazuma-sama's house." He looked at Ed. "What about you?"

"Dad's back from his trip, but for some reason, he doesn't want to stay at his place. He called me two days ago, and asked if we could celebrate New Year's Day somewhere else. I didn't quite get what he said after that, but he said something about wanting to avoid news reporters. Apparently it had something to do with his recent breakthrough on mechanical arms." He laughed.

"You can come and stay at Shishou's place with your dad if you have to, you as well Tohru." Kyo offered.

"Oh, it's such an honor. Thank you! But won't we need Shishou-san's permission?" She wondered.

"I'm sure he'll let you stay." Kyo told her. "Don't stress over it." He playfully hit her lightly on the head, and then jumped back as she suddenly panicked.

"OH NO! I forgot to buy ingredients for New Year's Cakes! And I also need to buy some more noodles for Shishou-san and Hohemheim-san. I 'gotta go to the store before it closes!" While Tohru was panicking she leaped up and ran for the kitchen, only to be stopped by Ed when he grabbed her arm.

"Calm down, I'll go get them." He scolded her lightly. "You've been working all day, so go take a break. Besides, I've got books to return to the library anyways."

"Um…are you sure?" She asked him. The State Alchemist nodded.

"Honda-san, you have been working a lot lately, what with your job and all." Yuki reminded her "Let's have a rest for a little while."

"Okay then, just let me make a list for you." She trotted off into the kitchen, and Ed went up to his room to get his books, at the same time putting on gloves and a coat.

He paused in the hallway, looking through an open door into Kyo's room. If anyone else had been up there, they would've heard evil chuckling and a clap, and seen a flash of blue light.

Satisfied, Ed pulled his boots on and waited downstairs at the entrance. Yuki walked out into the hallway and looked at him.

"Elric-san, did you say something to Kyo?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"He doesn't seem as…angry anymore. I wonder why?" The Rat gazed at the otherworldly alchemist as if hoping he could intimidate the answer out of him. It didn't work.

"Who knows, maybe it's just your imagination." Before Yuki could pry any further, Tohru hurried in with a list and an envelope.

"Everything is on the list, and the money for it is in the envelope." She handed both to him, and grabbed a scarf from the closet. "Make sure you stay warm. The store closes in an hour so be sure to get what we need before then, and be safe, Ed-san!" She wrapped the scarf around his neck tightly.

"You're acting like I'm going out on some big mountain expedition." He ruffled her hair playfully. "I'll be fine, so don't worry. It's not like I'm 'gonna disappear forever." He smiled at her reassuringly, and likewise she grinned back.

"OK!" She agreed. And with that he opened the door and walked out. The snow was coming down slowly but in thick flakes. The orphaned brunette could hear the muffled crunch in the snow as he walked away. She watched him until he vanished down the steps. Yuki turned to her.

"What is Elric-san to you?" He asked her. She thought about it for a moment before she responded.

"He's kind of like the brother I never had. Why?" Yuki smiled.

"Just asking." He said. "Now let's go inside before it gets too cold." As Tohru hurried inside, Yuki lagged behind, thinking.

"_I think that Elric-san and I might be looking for the same thing in Honda-san."_ He laughed quietly. _"Thank goodness I don't mind sharing."_

* * *

**City Park, 7:00 P.M…**

The alchemist sighed as he sat down on a park bench for a break. He had already stopped the library and wasn't too far from the store. The park bench on the hill overlooking the city was one of Ed's favorite spots to sit down and think. The view was quite a sight in the snow. The thick clouds in the sky was shielding the world from the stars and the moon, giving the alchemist a secure feeling. Falling snowflakes coupled with the bluish glow from the city made them shine in a variety of colors, from red to violet. The air around him was fresh and crisp. This had a calming effect on Ed, so he was just content to sit down and watch.

"_We don't have anything like this back in my world."_ He thought. _"This world isn't all that bad. At least it's pretty here." _

He turned his gaze to the sky, watching the snowflakes appear out of nowhere and then vanish in the growing blanket of snow. Ed never liked snow all that much, not since the failed transmutation. He shut his eyes and exhaled slowly, savoring this moment alone. To anyone coming towards Ed's position they would've seen his face turned to the heavens, eyes shut and his long braided hair rippling in the light wind. The alchemist's state of near meditation was interrupted a moment later.

"Onii-kun?" A familiar voice pulled him out of his trance. He quickly looked to his side to see Kisa.

The Zodiac Tiger's hair shown in many colors in the not-so distant light of the city, and they illuminated her eyes that were looking at him curiously. She wore a light brown coat that went down to her knees and nearly hid her red skirt, a white scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, white mittens, and black boots.

Ed couldn't exactly describe what he was feeling, but it felt like his stomach started doing backflips. It was a moment before he found his voice again.

"K-Kisa, wha-what are you d-doing here?" He asked her, hoping with all his heart that she would think that the reason his face was red was because of the cold air. She walked up and sat down next to him, her flowery smell carried on the slight breeze to him.

"I came out here for a walk, but I guess I wandered a little too far, because now I'm about an hour away from home." She laughed. "I've always liked taking a walk on a snowy night. It makes me feel…safe. What are you doing out here anyway?"

"Tohru needed ingredients for New Years Cakes, so I'm going out to get them." He had totally forgotten about his errand.

"I see why you stopped here. This is one of my favorite spots to stop and look at the city. Especially during the winter. I just love snow!" Kisa finished joyfully. Ed smiled regrettably at her.

"I don't really like snow. I used to, but not anymore." He admitted.

"Why not?" She asked. Ed sighed sadly, and began to pull off his gloves.

"Look." He said simply, and held out his hands to show her. She gazed for a minute before realizing the difference. All the snowflakes landing on Ed's flesh hand melted away in a second. The ones landing on his metal one didn't. They retained their crystalline shape. Ed could pick out the many differences in their patterns. T he Zodiac member gasped quietly as she watched. Ed exhaled deeply.

"They don't…melt…" He was painfully reminded of the mistake he and his brother made, and how it affected them in both drastic and subtle ways. He tore his hurt gaze from his hands to Kisa, who was smiling at him in sympathy. Her next action had his insides experience an earthquake.

Kisa reached over and gently took his right hand in her left. She leaned over until her lips were close to the cold surface. It was then her warm breath caressed his hand as she purposely exhaled deeply onto the metal. The snowflakes that had landed in flawless condition melted away under her breath into small droplets that shown in the glow of the snowy night.

The whole process took a few seconds, but in Ed's mind, it stretched out into forever. He was certain that if his arm was real, it would be tingling with a bizarre sensation similar to the one taking place inside stomach. The teenage alchemist felt his face burn with fire.

The Zodiac Tiger pulled her head away slowly and rubbed her thumb over the water drops to wipe them off, while putting her other hand on the metal prosthetic and holding it.

"Then…I'll melt the snowflakes for you." She told him, with a small smile, "I'll warm your hand, and melt the snow…so you won't feel sad anymore. I promise." As she looked at him, Kisa saw his flesh hand reach for her face, and felt the warm yet cool skin if his fingers touch her cheek.

"…thanks, Kisa." He gave her his infamous lopsided grin, chuckling slightly. Kisa smiled back, but was surprised when Ed stood up abruptly.

"I need to get to the store before it closes, I've wasted enough time." He turned to her. "Wanna' come?"

"Sure." He slipped his gloves back on and took her hand. She laughed slightly as she led him down the path.

* * *

**Green-Grocer, 8:55 P.M…**

"Onee-chan's cooking is wonderful, so her New Years Cakes this year should be just as good. You're lucky to be able to have them." The Tiger said as the pair walked out of the store and onto the snow covered street. It was just as pretty here as it was in the park. Each held a bag laden with food and ingredients.

"I take it that you're going to the Sohma house for New Years. Shigure told me about it, something about a banquet, right?" His companion nodded.

"It's the Zodiac Banquet for all twelve members. It goes on for three days and we have a dance done by a Zodiac member. This year it's Hatori-oji-chan's turn." Ed laughed.

"What I wouldn't give to see that!" He chuckled. "Shame I can't come."

The pair continued down the streets, until Ed was distracted by an excited gasp from Kisa. She immediately turned in a different direction.

"Onii-kun, look!" He gazed in the direction she was pointing at. There, at least ten blocks away, was a Ferris wheel. They hadn't seen it earlier because of the large buildings blocking the view. Now that they were turning onto the street, they could see it clearly. Ed had never seen a Ferris wheel in his life before, so it was a bit shocking. The colossal structure looked like a giant circle with small rods supporting it. Multi-colored lights flashed, spun and blinked in various patterns on the front.

"Wow…" He said quietly, and wondered why he hadn't noticed it before on his many walks throughout the city. "Wonder why I never noticed that before?"

"I guess because they just opened it up recently. It's brand new." She started to run towards it, grabbing Ed's hand in the process. "Have you ever been on one before, Onii-kun?"

"No, this is my first time seeing one." He replied as she pulled him along.

"Then let's get on. Ferris wheels are so much fun." They arrived at the entrance a few moments later, Kisa excitedly placing the fee on the counter. By now the ride loomed over them, the alchemist getting nervous under the giant structure. He wasn't sure he wanted to get on now. His companion noticed his uneasiness.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"It's just…so big." He gazed at it in wonder.

"Sir!" The ride assistant shouted for the third time. Both of them jumped, and turned to him warily.

"It's your turn to get on." He brandished the open door of the compartment. Ed let Kisa on first and climbed in after her, hearing the assistant muttering about teenagers not paying attention to anything these days.

The ride kicked into full gear after a few more people got on, and the pair's compartment soon reached the top. Kisa began to giggle at Ed's amazement at the scenery.

"I've never seen anything like this before." He whispered. "We have nothing like this back home."

"I think it's nice to try new things." She said with a small smile. "It's so beautiful up here, especially when it's snowing." She continued to stare out the window as the wheel moved them back down, and didn't see Ed begin to fidget slightly next to her.

His eyes were resting on her face, which was gleaming with content and happiness, her chocolate eyes brightly lit. The intoxicating lilac scent coming from her was filling the compartment up quickly. Kisa's hair was shining in the lights reflecting off the outside snowflakes that floated down with a carefree spin.

_"It's so…pretty…such a pretty color…"_ He thought to himself, and used every last ounce of control he had to keep himself from reaching out and touching her hair.

His gaze traveled down from her eyes to her lips, which were very soft-looking. A small voice in the alchemist's mind wondered how they would feel against his; if they would taste like lilacs as well. His heart picked up the pace in his chest. He found himself feeling strange, almost very warm, as his mind slipped out of reality, giving his subconscious the wheel and allowing fantasies to slide into his head.

He imagined himself holding Kisa tightly, and she wasn't transforming. She gripped him equally as lovingly. Ed gently took her sweet face in his hands and brought it closer to his. Now if only that were to come true…

"Umm…Onii-kun, what are you doing?" He was pulled back to the present abruptly by Kisa's voice, which sounded surprisingly close. Ed suddenly realized that he had been leaning towards Kisa unconsciously, and that their lips were inches apart. It took a second for the alchemic prodigy's head to get this. When it did, an atomic explosion of embarrassment and shock went off in his system.

"YAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!!!!!!!!" He leaped back in a second, blushing furiously. His heart pounded against his ribcage.

"Uh…uh…Onii-kun?" Kisa looked a little freaked out. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing at all…" He had turned away from her, trying to control himself and willing the fiery red color on his face to disappear.

_"Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!!!!"_ He thought. _"Why the hell do you have to be so freakin' cute?! And what the hell is wrong with me?!"_ His mind was trying to come up with an excuse for his behavior when he heard a small giggle behind him. He turned and saw Kisa trying to hold back her laughter.

"You're…so funny…!" She broke, and burst out into light laughter. To Ed, it sounded beautiful, and he turned red again.

"I'm sorry, you're just so funny! I didn't mean to laugh." She wiped a tear from her eye, and gave a soft grin to her friend. Ed was saved when the door to the compartment opened to let them out. By now the snow was coming down in heavier flakes, but at a steady pace. Ed scooped up the bags holding the food, and helped Kisa out.

"Let's go home, everyone's waiting." He said to her. She nodded with a smile.

"Okay, and thank you." She took his metallic hand and intertwined her fingers with his.

* * *

**Shigure Sohma's house, 9:30 P.M…**

"HEY!! What the hell happened to my room?!" Kyo's angry shout shook the house, causing Tohru to drop what she was doing and hurry up the stairs. Upon arrival Tohru found Kyo kicking the wall in frustration. Shigure popped out of his room to see what the commotion was, and immediately knew what was wrong: The wall where Kyo was kicking used to be the location of the door to his room.

"The door! I-it's gone!" Tohru yelled in shock. Kyo spun around to face her.

"I'm aware of that genius! But where the hell did it go!?" Yuki shoved Kyo aside to examine the empty space. He instantly spotted small, rectangular markings on the wall.

"I believe that this would be Elric-san's work." He stated. "I wonder if this is revenge for that little crack about milk you threw at him at breakfast."

"He already got revenge for that, remember!?" The Cat shouted.

"That's right." Shigure mused. "He threw you into the wall."

"That doesn't matter!! What matters is that HE'S GOING DOWN!!!!" Kyo started towards the stairs, but was stopped when Yuki tripped him.

"You know very well that an act like that is one of suicide. He'll have you in a bloody mess before you can even touch him."

"Not if I can catch him off guard!" Kyo picked himself up off the ground and stomped downstairs. Shigure sighed in annoyance.

"It's so hard having such a mischief maker in the house." He droned sadly.

Kyo was perfectly poised for an attack, and waited in the hallway out of sight. Tohru and the other two men waited in the kitchen, well out of firing range.

"Why didn't that stupid Cat notice that his room was sealed off earlier? He's so dense." Yuki wondered.

"Well, he's been down here all evening helping me with dishes ever since Ed-san left." Tohru explained. "He left a few minutes ago to go to bed, but I guess that it was quite a surprise to see the door to his room missing."

"Ed-kun must've sealed it off when he went to get a sweater." Shigure said. "I so very enjoy their fights."

"Shut up in there!" Kyo whispered, and immediately crouched lower when he heard the doorknob jiggle. Ed was clearly home, but he was talking with someone.

"…so that's the story of how the Legend of the People's fame spread from a few minor regions to every corner of the continent." Light laughter could be heard from behind.

"You're so funny, Onii-ku-" She was broken off when Ed suddenly pushed her down and ducked himself.

"YYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Kyo suddenly charged, and Ed got out of the way just in time for Kyo to trip and fly out the door. He landed with a dull thud out in the snow. Ed helped Kisa up (muttering an apology) and turned to laugh at Kyo.

"Nice try!!!" And with that, he slammed the door shut.

As the alchemist brushed the snowflakes off his hair, he called out to everyone else. "I'm back, and while I was out, I came across a little lost tiger." Tohru peeked in, and immediately raced to the 'little lost tiger'.

"Kisa-san!" She hugged her happily.

"Onee-chan!" Kisa replied to her 'sister'.

"She was out for a walk when I found her, so I took her along with me. We're pretty far from the Sohma house and I think she should stay tonight." He held out the grocery bags to Tohru. "Here's everything on the list you wanted."

"Thanks Ed-san." Yuki walked in the hallway a second later and took the grocery bags instead.

"I'll take these and put them away for you. Honda-san, could you go get Kisa ready for bed?"

She nodded, and turned to Kisa. "Come on then, let's go get you something to sleep in."

"Okay," Before trotting off after the brunette, she hugged Ed's right arm. "Goodnight Onii-kun. And thank you, I had a great time tonight."

The State Alchemist gave her a tender grin. "Me too. You bundle up and get some rest. It's pretty cold tonight."

"I will." She replied, and followed her sister figure up the steps, Ed gazing after her sweetly, his face slightly red. It did not go unnoticed by Yuki. He then remembered what Haru said on the day of the cultural festival.

'_Looks like you you've got some competition, Hiro.'_

"You weren't kidding when you said that, Haru." He muttered. Ed looked at him after that.

"You say something?" He asked curiously. Yuki shook his head.

"I'm just talking to myself. And thanks for picking up the groceries." He started to the kitchen to put them away, leaving Ed alone in the hallway. He leaned down to remove his boots when the front door burst open, and Kyo came running back to attack the alchemist a second time.

"I'M 'GONNA KILL YOU!!!!" He screamed. His fist was drawn back to hit him in the back of the head, but he never got around to it, for Ed soon had him pinned underneath his foot. The Cat grunted and struggled to turn his head to glare at him.

"Why the hell did you seal off my room?!" He growled.

"Oh, is that what you're angry about? I'm so very sorry." He chuckled.

"Answer my question!"

"Cause' I don't like it." He casually said. "I made some adjustments to improve it."

"THAT'S NO EXCUSE!! You did it cause' you're still mad about that little milk crack this morning!" The Cat choked as he felt the now pissed-off alchemist crush him harder to the floor.

"**Who are you calling little?**" He asked in a low but very irate voice.

"I NEVER SAID THAT!! NOW GET OFF OF ME AND FIX MY DOOR!!!" Kyo shouted. Shigure placed a hand on Ed's shoulder, making him jump. He hadn't noticed the Dog approach him.

"Please go fix that door; I don't want my house to look deformed." He pointed out. "Besides, we wouldn't want this ravenous teenager sneaking into anyone's rooms, looking for a place to sleep."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Ed said mischievously.

"I'm merely concerned for Tohru-kun's well being, that's all." Shigure replied, sounding equally maniacal.

"YOU'RE SHAMELESS YOU STUPID MUTT!!!!" Kyo turned bright red and aimed a kick towards Shigure while he was still pinned down by the alchemist.

"You're the one who's shameless, you pervert." Ed taunted, and reluctantly let go of him. "I'll go fix your door, so stop complaining. After that I'm going to bed, and if you disturb me," He glared at him. "I'll trap you in your room until next week." Kyo paled at the thought of that, so he decided not to speak again. As Ed walked up the steps Kyo put on a furious face.

"Now, now Kyo-kun, we all know that it's stupid to try and retaliate under a threat like that." Shigure reminded him. "I should know. On that onsen trip we took a month ago he threatened me if I didn't call Mitchan and let her know where I was going."

"He's still not all bad." Yuki added as he walked in, overhearing their conversation. "It's pretty obvious that he has a soft spot for Kisa. I wonder if he likes her."

"Of course he likes her." Kyo muttered. "She's like a sister to him." He shrugged, and silence ensued his statement, until…

"YOU'RE SO DENSE YOU STUPID BOY!!" Shigure shouted in his face. "AN OGRE LIKE YOU HAS NO RIGHT TO LIVE IN THIS HOUSE!! PACK YOUR BAGS AND LEAVE IMMEDIATELY!!!!!"

"You really are dense." Yuki simply said.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKI-AAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Kyo's sharp retort was cut off when spikes came shooting out of the ceiling, aimed directly for the threesome. They all managed to duck just in time. As they lay crouched on the floor in shock, they saw Ed peering out to them through a large hole he created in the ceiling, wearing shorts and a tank-top.

"I told you to shut up! Now let me sleep!" He clapped his hands, and placed them on the floor, retracting the spikes and closing the hole he created, until the ceiling looked no different from earlier The tired alchemist yawned, more out of the exhaustion of everything happening that day then the drawbacks of his transmutations. He climbed into his bed and flopped down.

As Ed lay on his side, he watched the snow fall outside his window, his hair stained white from the icy glow outside. The bluish sky coupled with the white snow looked so serene to him. He felt himself calming down and slipping into a state of half-asleep, until the snow reminded him of the incident on the Ferris wheel, and the fantasy that had snaked its way into his head.

"_Crap,"_ he thought. _"Why is that coming up again, and why can't I shake it off?"_ He remembered how close his face was to Kisa's before he came to his senses, and turned tomato-red again.

"_She's such a sweet girl, and she's…lonely, too. Kisa must still miss her parents. I'm glad that she's cheered up some, though."_ As he began to drift off, the alchemist weakly lifted his fake arm and looked at it. It was silhouetted against the snowy scenery outside.

'_Then…I'll melt the snowflakes for you. I promise.'_

"I wonder if…she'll remember…" He said aloud, and with that, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**Three Days Later…**

"So basically they won't leave me alone and I'm forced to avoid my house." Hohemheim drawled in exasperation. "On top of that, other companies keep sending in spies to try and steal my designs. It's quite exhausting to deal with all that.

"I can imagine why." Kazuma replied. He, Hohemheim, Kyo, Ed, and Tohru were all seated around a kotetsu, enjoying the evening with Tohru's New Years Cakes.

"Succulent as always." Ed commented, munching on his share of the food. "I honestly don't know how you do it Tohru."

"You're certainly Kyoko's daughter," His father added. "She made similar cakes to this and sent me some on New Year's."

"Mom always made these for us so I guess it's a sort of family recipe." Kazuma, in the meantime, had finished his meal and stood up.

"I'll show you and Ed to your rooms." He led them both up the steps and showed them where they would be staying for a while. Tohru would have a room to herself, and Ed would share one with his dad. After doing this he then stopped and gestured into another room. "And in the meantime, we have another visitor."

Sitting in the room, sulking somewhat, was Rin. Ashe looked up at the entry, and then jumped.

"Isuzu-san!" Tohru cried happily, and rushed to hug her. The Horse immediately dodged to the side, leaving Tohru to run into a wall.

"Y-you startled me and came out of nowhere!" She said angrily. "Don't do that!" Ed, in the meantime, was staring at her inquiringly. She seemed to sense this and turned rapidly to see who it was, and nearly leaped out of her skin. Clearly she remembered the 'incident'. Ed laughed slightly at her expression as Tohru made her way out of the room to talk to Kyo downstairs.

"What, you're not 'gonna jump at me this time?" He joked lightly. The long-haired beauty turned bright red and looked away.

"I'm…sorry." She said in a strained and tight voice filled with embarrassment.

"I don't think we were properly introduced." He walked up to her and held out his metallic hand. "My name is Edward Elric." She looked at the prosthetic uncertainly, and didn't take it.

"……I've heard about you…" She muttered, glancing at the floor. "Tohru told me." Ed snorted slightly, and turned to leave the room, but not before throwing one last comment over his shoulder.

"Ya' know, Haru really misses you." Rin looked back at him. "How about you save your hugs for him?"

"Shut up, runt." She muttered, and instantly regretted it. Her savior was Kazuma, holding back the enraged alchemist.

"DON'T CALL ME SMALL!! I'LL BREAK DOWN YOUR FEET AND STICK EM' ON YOUR HEAD!!!"

"Cut it out Ed-kun." Kazuma scolded him. "She spent so much time in the hospital it would be a shame to send her back." Ed quit his ranting a second later, released himself from Kazuma's grip and stomped out of the room, muttering obscenities under his breath.

"Get some rest Rin, you'll need it." He told her, and left the room, following Ed. "I apologize for Rin; she was always this way as a child."

"How do you know?" The alchemist asked.

"Her parents rejected her completely, so she lived here for a while. Kyo was here for a large portion of his life and they would always glare at each other for a few hours, and Haru would look on." He laughed.

"I can imagine that." Ed chuckled, and then realized something. "Why didn't Rin go to the banquet?"

"Akito can't stand her, and I think some time away from him would do her good."

"Did Kyo live here, too?" He asked as he sat down a t a table.

"Yes, I took him in when his mother died. She couldn't handle him and committed suicide. After that, at her funeral, his father blamed him for her death, and refused to take care of him after that." It struck Ed when he heard this, and he averted his gaze.

_"Just like when I blamed Dad for Mom's death at her funeral."_ He thought. "_I was no different from Kyo's father. And I just didn't want to think that it was my fault. It was nobody's fault, just an accident."_

"Ed, Kazuma?" His father's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "We're all going outside to wait for the first sunrise. 'Wanna come?" Ed smiled.

"Sure."

* * *

**The main house of the Sohma's, 3:00 A.M…**

Hatori finally was able to get out of hot costume. He had done the dance and it had left him exhausted, and sweaty. He felt sorry for the next person to wear the costume.

"Haa-san, you did wonderfully." Shigure said lovingly, brandishing a camera. "Your aloof maturity coupled with Momiji's innocence was the perfect combination. I took lots of pictures to send to Mayu-chan and Sensei!"

"If you do that I'll pour glue into your shoes again." Hatori threatened.

"You're terrible Tori-san!" Ayame exclaimed. "Why shouldn't our good teacher see you in one of your finest moments?"

"Because he'll never let me live it down." He turned to leave the room. "I need to get back to Akito."

The Zodiac Banquet was in full swing, with everyone munching on fine food. A little ways from them were Kureno and Akito sitting calmly with Yuki, the latter very happy to see that The Rat had come back.

"It's nice to have you back, Yuki. I'm very glad about that." Akito said fondly. "All is forgiven."

"Is that so?" Yuki wondered. Then thought over his next words for a second.

"_I can't keep blaming everyone else for my problems. They're not anyone's fault, just mine."_ He thought of a certain blonde-haired teen. _"What's important is that I rise above that weakness. I find a way to keep going, and live. If he can rise above his problems, which are possibly worse than mine, then so can I."_

"I forgive you as well, Akito." He started off, earning a surprised look from the 'god'. "Actually, it's not a matter of forgiveness. I'm not going to blame you for my problems, I'm taking responsibility."

Akito looked him over carefully, most of all noting his eyes. He was shocked to realize what he found.

"Why…do you have…those eyes?" He whispered tightly. A memory filled his vision.

* * *

_"__**AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**__" The child screamed. The person in front of him was crying with a mixture of feelings, and turned abruptly at the upset boy, who had tears pouring down his cheeks._

_It was gone. It had ended, and a piece of the soul of the crying Akito fell away forever, never to be retrieved. Loneliness overwhelmed him. He didn't want him to go_.

* * *

It had nearly been too much for Akito. If Yuki were to go…

"_No…don't go…!"_

The sound of breaking glass echoed across the room, startling all the Zodiac members present. Simultaneously they turned to the source, which was Akito. He had grabbed a vase and smashed it across Yuki's head. Blood was starting to drip down his face. Kureno immediately grabbed Akito to keep him from doing any further damage.

"_**APOLOGIZE!!!**_" he commanded the stunned Rat.

"Akito, stop it!"

"_**APOLOGIZE RIGHT NOW!!!**_"

"…I'm sorry…" He said simply. Akito didn't see this fit as an apology, but stormed out of the room anyway.

"Yun-kun, you're bleeding!" Kagura shouted, running up and mopping the blood off his face.

"I'm fine, it's just a little cut."

"DON'T DIE YUKI!!!" Ayame lifted him off the ground dramatically. "When we saw that beautiful sunset we promised that die together!!"

"I'M NOT DIEING!!" Yuki retaliated, and struggled out of his brother's grip. "Stop making up past events."

Hatori came to Yuki's rescue, while Kagura and Kisa started cleaning up the broken glass from the vase.

"Hey Satchan," Kagura began as she placed the small shards in her hand. "Momiji-kun told me about that guy staying at Shigure's house. I'm really looking forward to meeting him. What's he like?"

"Onii-kun's really nice to me, and he's always nice to Onee-chan and everyone else." She said happily, and then looked a little sad. "He seems hurt sometimes, though, and I can't tell what's bothering them. But Onii-kun's so strong, and pushes on. I guess he must feel lonely here, being away from his brother and home. That's why I want to help him, like he helped me, when Mom and Dad died."

"He sounds like he's very special to you." The Boar noted. "Now I really want to meet him!" Neither of them noticed Haru walking up to them until the last second.

"I could always bring him over here to meet the rest of the Zodiac at one point." He offered. "But with Akito's attitude and what Yuki just did, I don't really think that's a good idea."

"If you were knew that, then why'd you bring it up?" Kagura joked, while Haru turned to leave.

"I'm going back to Kazuma-sama's house to check on everyone. See you guys later!" Kisa then remembered something.

"Umm…Haru-nii, wait a minute." She suddenly said, and retrieved something from her bag. It was a small package. The Tiger trotted back over to him.

"Give this to Onii-kun." She requested, and he smiled at her.

"Certainly." And he left the room.

* * *

Kureno gently shut the door that led to Akito's room. After violently forcing the Rooster out of his room, the 'god' curled up on his bed and lay still. Yuki's rebellion was taking a toll on him, and he was very upset. Sighing, he began walking down the hall.

"Kureno?" He turned to the sound of small feet lightly pounding on the floor, and felt something slip into the back of his pants. It was Momiji.

"From Tohru." He laughed, and hurried back down the hall. Kureno reached behind him and plucked the object out of his back pocket. It was a CD case, with a bright blue disk inside. On the cover was small writing.

_'Watch it by yourself, 'kay?'_

* * *

"Where's Shishou?" Kyo asked the alchemist as he yawned loudly, who shrugged.

"I don't know. In the bath, I guess." Tohru took a spot next to him.

"Hohemheim-san is making tea with some spices he brought back from the Middle East. I look forward to it." She said brightly.

"Make sure you check it before you drink it. Mom used to say that he always ended up getting some ingredient mixed up and ruining the whole thing."

"I heard that!" His father called from inside the kitchen. Kyo laughed, and Tohru felt a happiness bloom inside of her.

_"I'm so glad that Ed-san and his father are getting along better. They do argue from time to time, but at least it's not that intense hatred I saw when Ed-san learned his father was alive."_

"Hey Tohru," Kyo asked, and she looked at him. "What are wishing for this year?"

"If I told, it wouldn't come true, Kyo-kun." She reminded. He shrugged, and she was left to her thoughts again.

_"Last year, I wished for everyone's happiness."_ She recalled. _"This year, I wish to break the curse. I also wish for Ed-san and Hohemheim-san to be able to get back home, even though I'll really miss their kindness. I want to help them all, and I wish for change."_

* * *

Haru left Kisa's gift for Ed on the table, walking in without anyone noticing at first. Upon walking up the steps and turning into a room, he saw his beloved sleeping on the floor. Her back was pressed against the wall, and she snored lightly. He chuckled at a memory of watching her sleep. His face immediately turned very tender as he embraced her gently, as to not wake her up. So much had happened between them, and much had happened lately he wasn't sure what to do.

But he did know one thing: He loved her so much that his heart would throb whenever he was too far away from him. And as he carried her to her bed so she would be more comfortable, he knew he wasn't going to let anyone stop him from protecting her.

* * *

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ I apologize to all of you Rin/Haru supporters for only including a slight segment of their love. I promise more in the future, when a major event happens and the story diverges away from the Furuba manga.

_**Hohemheim:**_ You've been having strange problems spelling my name lately.

_**Momiji:**_ That's 'cause there are many different ways to spell out your name, it's confusing her. Such as Hoenheim, Hoemheim, Hohenheim, and the one she's currently using.

_**Megumi:**_ I wonder if anybody will actually figure out the proper way to spell it as Arakawa-sensei intended it to sound.

_**Uo:**_ Who knows?

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ I also apologize for having this chapter in so late. My family was planning for a big summer BBQ and I got caught up in cooking a whole lot of dishes. So R&R and quench the fires of reader flames somewhat, please! And for those of you in America, HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!! See you next time!


	9. Of Storms and Kidnappings

_**

* * *

**_

_**Author's Notes:** _A little while back I tried drawing Ed and Kisa together: The result shocked me. I was half-asleep at the time so I'm certain I was possessed by the ghost of a famous artist as I drew. There is absolutely no way I can draw something that good. It'd be awesome if people did some fan art about this story. No, I'm not dropping hints or asking anyone in particular to draw something for me. That'll never happen anyway. In other news, here in America, Fruits Basket has successfully reached its final volume. I can only pray that you'll all stay with me and see this story to its epilogue. I'm having such a great time writing this! And thank you all for being so patient with me and all the wonderful reviews! ^^

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. The scenes that go in sync with the Fruits basket manga also belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei. Everything else mentioned belongs to their rightful creators and owners. Plot belongs to me.

_**Inspiration for this chapter:**_ Torvus Bog from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, The Working Hour by Tears for Fears, Yura Yura from the Inuyasha soundtrack, The Other Side by Godsmack, I'm Just a Kid by Simple Plan, and Snake Eater from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

* * *

Chapter 9

Of Storms and Kidnappings

**Kaibara Public High, 2:00 P.M…**

The winter sky was as blue as it could be, but the air was crisp and sharp. For Arisa Uotani, nothing bothered her more than the cold. They were going to rehearse their graduation outside and she was certain she'd catch a cold. The yankee sighed as she stared out into the endless sky. How much longer was he going to make her wait…?

"Uo-chan, what's the matter?" The voice of her ever-optimistic pal brought her back to the planet. Close behind Tohru was Hana, the latter looking at Uo curiously.

"Mmm? Oh, y'know. The sky's so blue, but it's freezing outside." She grunted in exasperation. "And they're making us rehearse the graduation ceremony out there, dammit! If I catch a cold I'm gonna be pissed."

Hana chuckled lightly as she watched her friend's antics. "Incidentally, I've never had one of those. It's true that idiots can't catch colds." Uo shook her head hopelessly.

"That should bother you." She stated, their conversation was interrupted when Mayu came into the room with some other students.

"Hey, hurry up inside, will you?" She called to the trio.

"Oh, of course!" Tohru responded.

"Man, I haven't had any luck since third term," The yankee lamented. "And New Years totally flew by." Hearing this struck a chord in Tohru, and she started to recall multiple things that had happened.

_"A lot happened back then…"_ She remembered as scenes began playing in her head.

* * *

_"It doesn't make any sense." Rin wondered after emerging from her room. Tohru and Ed looked up at her. "When I woke up today, I was lying down, but I'm sure I fell asleep sitting up."_

_"Y-you fell asleep sitting up?!" Tohru exclaimed in shock, and then calmed down. "Maybe Shishou-san came in and laid you down." Rin shook her head at this._

_"Impossible." She stated. "If anyone came, especially if they touched me, I would've woken up."_

_"What about Haru?" Ed asked._

_"Haru…he's different…" Silence followed as The Horse suddenly processed what she had just said. She turned to the alchemist with a dark gaze to match his when angry._

_"How do you know about me and Haru?!" She demanded. "Who told you?! WHO?!"_

_"Multiple factors." He said calmly in contrast to her furious look. "First of all, when you attacked me that day, you mistook me for Haru. After you transformed and passed out, Shigure told me. And you just took the bait and said it yourself."_

_Rin looked mortified and angry, but dropped it. "Don't mention the name again. We already broke up." She muttered. A knocking sound caused them all to look up. Yuki had returned._

_"Ah, Honda-san, Elric-san, I was looking for-" Rin stalked past him and left after he arrived. He stared after her for a moment, then shrugged._

_"Did I interrupt?" He asked. Tohru shook her head._

_"No, not at all-AAAHHH!!! Yuki-kun, your forehead is hurt! What happened?" Her reassuring tone changed to a worried one when she spotted the large bandage on his forehead._

_"I simply defied Akito, so he let me have it." he told her with a kind smile. "Inside, I was actually really afraid. But I pushed myself a little, you know?"_

_Tohru recalled the day she first met Akito, and how he had scared Yuki stiff. He seemed so much braver now. And so she replied with a smile as well._

_"Yes…" She nodded. Yuki laughed slightly._

_"Lucky!" Momiji's voice startled them all. "I want her to praise me too." The rabbit crouched by the entrance to the room with a big grin on his face. Tohru was delighted to see him._

_"Momiji-kun! Happy New Year!"_

_"Nice to see you."_

_"Do you have something you want Honda-san to praise you for, Momiji?" Yuki asked. The Rabbit nodded excitedly._

_"Yup!" He stood up and approached Tohru._

_"Then I'll go on ahead to Shigure's house." The Rat turned to leave, but paused for another second. "Hey, Elric-san?"_

_The alchemist looked up curiously. "Yeah?"_

_"Thanks…" And with that, he exited the room, leaving the other three looking rather dumbfounded. Momiji shrugged it off quickly and pulled Tohru into the kitchen swiftly so they could talk alone._

_"Tohru, I gave it to him." He whispered. "I gave Kureno the DVD." Shock crossed Tohru's face as well as joy, and she let out a quiet gasp. The Rabbit smiled in understanding._

_"When I gave it to him, my heart was pounding. But still, I'm glad I could make sure he got it." Tears formed in the corners of the brunettes eyes._

_"Th-thanks…!" She managed to get out. Momiji affectionately took Tohru's shaking hands into his own, clenching them gently._

_"Tohru, let's say a prayer, 'kay?" He shut his eyes. "Let's say a prayer that he'll watch it."_

* * *

_"Please…Let Uo-chan's feelings reach Kureno-san…and her love." _She prayed again silently.

"Tohru, what're you doing?" Uo's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "If you 'wanna ask me a favor, just ask."

"Ah! Well…um…" She stuttered. Hana called out to the two a moment later.

"Let's get going you two!" Both quickly looked over to her and followed, Tohru sending one last prayer to the sky.

"_I want Uo-chan to be happy, so please, let Kureno-san watch the DVD. And please let them be able to see each other again."_

* * *

**The next day…**

Shigure woke up early (a first for him) and hurried downstairs to get a good glimpse at what Tohru was making for breakfast. This morning's food was toast, bacon and waffles. Ed was already down there. Shigure heard his voice (annoyed and confused) upon reaching the hallway.

"…and now I can't find it. I know I brought it over to Kazuma's on New Years, but when I thought I left it there and went back to check, it was gone." He complained.

"And what might you be missing, Ed-kun?" The Dog prompted.

"The book that Kisa-san gave him." Tohru explained.

"Oh." Shigure remembered. "Sensei said he took that when he left for the airport on New Year's." The alchemist was silent as he took this in, and then…

"You're only remembering this _NOW_?!?!" He yelled furiously. Shigure laughed.

"I'm so very sorry. I meant to tell you but I completely forgot." He shrugged. "Guess I had other things on my mind for a while."

"Geez!" Ed threw up his hands in anger. "Why'd he take it in the first place?!"

"I'm not sure. Sensei said something about wanting to read it…" the dark haired novelist mumbled.

"Then he should've bought his own copy." Ed turned and stomped out the kitchen.

"Umm…don't you want breakfast, Ed-san?" Tohru asked weakly.

"I'm not hungry!" They heard him slam the door as he left the house.

_"Maybe I should've told him earlier…"_ Shigure thought, then shook it off, turning to Tohru.

"Sorry you had to see that." He apologized. "I've had a lot going on up at the main house, so I guess it just slipped my mind."

The morning passed without further disturbance. It was around noon when Shigure got a phone call.

"Coming, coming!" He muttered, and picked up the phone eagerly, secretly hoping it was Mie-chan calling about the manuscript. "Yes? Hello?"

_"Shigure-niisan?"_ The Dog's expression changed the moment he heard the familiar voice on the other end of the phone. It was stoic and cold.

"This is unusual." He joked slightly. "It might even be a first…"

_"Is Tohru-san there?" _The voice asked.

"Tohru-kun's still at school." He explained. "Why are you asking for Tohru-kun? I don't see the connection. And the probability of anyone asking for Tohru-kun first is pretty low to begin with…" He heard the man on the other end of the phone shuffling uncomfortably. "I didn't expect this at all. What business do you have with her?"

_"…There might be something…I need to talk to you about, Shigure-niisan…"_

The Dog smiled coldly. "It's about time…" He muttered, and then asked the question that would confirm his theory.

"By the way, Kureno, I have something to ask you. Have you…well…have you…been released…from the curse?"

* * *

**That evening…**

Tohru walked slowly down the streets to the store, thinking about what else she needed to buy.

"_I should get some trash bags while I'm at it, and maybe…"_ She suddenly spotted a small flock of birds on the sidewalk, trying to get some food from the frozen ground.

"Oh, sparrows!" She trotted up them carefully and crouched down, not paying mind to the man sitting nearby, watching her. Tohru gently rand a hand down to one as it hopped near her. "You're so cute! I'm sorry…I don't have anything to feed you. Wow, you must be really used to people."

The man watching her stood up and began walking over to the orphan slowly, his sudden movement scaring away the birds. Tohru jumped as they flew off, looking around quickly in case something was wrong. Upon turning her head she spotted a familiar figure looking down at her.

She knew that figure well, even if she had only seen it a couple times. The first was on a rainy night at a summer home, a few weeks before Ed had shown up. The second time was out in the Sohma main estate, when she was trying to not be spotted by anyone. And now Kureno Sohma stared at her sadly, holding out a hand to help her up.

"Kureno-san?" Tohru whispered, completely dumbfounded. "But…the birds…they flew away…I thought that you were possessed by the spirit of the bird. And when you're possessed by that spirit, that animal…"

'_They come out on their own, so it can't be helped.'_

'_They just come. For the Dog, its dogs; for the rat, it's rats. A long time ago when I was in the mountains with Kagura, we were surrounded by boars.'_

It didn't make any sense to Tohru. For a Zodiac member, animals of that Zodiac spirit would flock to them; if the birds fled from Kureno, then that meant one thing only. Tohru gasped quietly as Kureno pulled her towards him, embracing her gently.

Nothing happened.

"Right, but I'm not like that anymore." He told her softly, regret and loneliness lining his voice. "I won't transform. My curse…has already…been broken…"

* * *

**The next day…**

_"GIVE HIM BACK!!!" Ed screamed, as he sprinted to the stone door. "GIVE ME BACK MY BROTHER, DAMN YOU!!!!" Al's body lay at the foot of The Gate, but the older Elric couldn't reach him. He ran and ran, but it seemed to just pull farther away from him. The voices of the dead mocked him the whole way._

_"Ha ha! You'll never save him!!"_

_"Just give it up!"_

_"Such a foolish and stupid boy."_

_"SHUT UP!!!" He yelled to the voices. "Give him back!!"_

_"Why?" They said. "You were the one who sent him to us in the first place. You killed him." Ed froze in his tracks._

_"They're right." The Gate agreed. "You turned your brother into a suit of armor…no…a monster. A monster that was as inhuman as possible. You were the foolish child who tried to bring his mother back, and then make it all right again, and you failed." Eyes were suddenly appearing before him, surrounding the alchemist and glaring at him accusingly._

_Ed spun around in a panic, trying to find The Gate again, but it was gone. The writhing black hands reached for him and held him tightly as he squirmed to get away._

_"Why don't you just join us?" The dead asked. "There's nothing left for you to do anyway. You've eluded us for too long."_

_"NO!!!" He attempted to struggle out of their grip, in vain. "Let me go!!"_

_"Join them, or do you want to see more horror?" The Gate sneered, and suddenly the hands and eyes vanished, leaving Ed in a completely black space._

_He stared around desperately, searching for The Gate, when something sticky, hot and wet splashed against his bare feet. He looked down quickly to discover that he was now standing in a pool of blood. The scent of rust and death swirled around him. When he whipped his head back up again, his golden eyes widened with terror. He had spotted a small body, dead and broken, a few feet away from him. Shock washed over him, as well as panic, disbelief, and nausea._

_Her normally soft and brightly colored hair was stark and limp, stained with blood that trickled down her forehead. Her flowery pink winter dress was torn and ragged, showing off much of her once peachy skin, now pale. A small stream of blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. Cuts covered her bare arms, and blood endlessly seeped through them. And the deep chocolate pools that were her eyes were empty of light and life._

"_K-Kisa…?" He whispered, his body screaming to run away._

_The hands of the dead came flying at her crumpled body, wrapping themselves around the Zodiac Tiger's and pulling her away from him. The alchemist couldn't move, and his real leg felt like stone. He watched in horror as the writhing tendrils dragged Kisa Sohma into The Gate. After she vanished into the dark depths, a single eye stared at him with a piercing gaze from inside the stone door. He had failed to save her, like he had failed Alphonse…_

Ed jerked awake in an instant, his heart hammering against his ribcage and his breath coming in shuddering, brisk gasps. His entire body was slick with sweat. For a moment he forgot why he was scared and sweaty, but then everything came rushing back at him. Nausea overtook him, and he started retching.

The blond-haired youth quickly leaned over the side of his bed when his stomach heaved. Nothing came out, due to his lack of dinner from the previous night (Yuki leaped at the chance to cook, considering that Tohru was staying over at Hana's for the night). Ed tried to control his violent spasms and his mind went blank from feeling sick. His body went limp as the heaving stopped, and he collapsed, half-conscious, on the bed in a heap.

Ed lay there for a while, calming his heartbeat. Now that the worst was over, the dizzying sick feeling faded, but the shock and horror remained.

This wasn't the first time he'd had a nightmare about The Gate, nor the first time he'd woken up in a cold sweat and nearly thrown up. In a way he had grown immune to the worst of the effects. What had scared him was the second half of the dream, and made the terror fresh and raw. The thought of something like that happening to Kisa made him feel terrified. If something bad happened to her because of him, he would never be able to live with himself. Then again, he could barely live with himself these days.

From day one, when he and Al set out to restore their bodies, the guilt always came at him anew. It was his fault that a Homunculus that resembled their mother was born, his fault when Al became a walking suit of armor, his fault that Scar was following them and turned Al into the Philosophers Stone, his fault that he wasn't careful enough, and lost Al forever.

It was during times like this when he just wanted to die…

_'Why don't you join us? There's nothing left for you to do anyway.'_

Why hadn't he joined them already? Why didn't he just kill himself after Al gave himself up for him and atone for everything that had happened to his brother? Why didn't he succeed in saving his little brother, who was put through hell because of him? Why hadn't he stayed in the depths of the icy black void and let go of life? Why didn't he die when he broke through to this side of The Gate?

Why was he still getting up every morning? Why was he still smiling at everyone? Why did he often join them in various conversations? Why was he able to chow down on Tohru's delectable cooking? And why was he still trying to find a way back to Amestris?

"I'm home!" Tohru's voice echoed distantly throughout the house, and the alchemist weakly lifted his head up to the sound. Upon doing that, his eyes focused on the small box Kisa had sent to him on New Year's night, still laying on his desk. Haru had brought it over to Kazuma's house and left it on the table, where Ed had found it addressed to him. In the box had been several large chocolate cookies, similarly colored to her eyes (Ed had already eaten them a few days ago). He could easily recall the note she had written to him in small, neat handwriting.

**'I baked these this morning and thought you might like a few. Happy New Year, Onii-kun!'**

Oh…that was why…

* * *

"I'm home!" Tohru called out as she walked in, pulling off her coat. "Shigure-san?"

She glanced around, but he was nowhere to be seen. _"I wonder if he's still asleep?"_ The brunette thought as she placed the envelopes on the table. As she looked up she spotted a scarf laying out to dry. It looked very familiar.

"A scarf!" she exclaimed after scooping it up. "Is that my scarf?"

"Huh, so it was yours." Kyo's voice startled her and she spun around. "I'm glad I guessed right. It was all beat up on the ground. I kind of washed it, but it didn't get very clean. If it bothers you, I'll buy you a new one. It might be wet so-HEY!"

Tohru remained silent as she tried the scarf on. It was wet, so she tried playfully spinning around and hitting Kyo with the Pom-poms again. It didn't go so well.

"I warned you." He chuckled. Tohru looked at him and smiled thankfully.

"Thank you so much!" She said with a blush. "I promise I won't ever drop it again!"

"Sure." He looked away, his face equally red. Yuki walked in a minute later, and found himself smile at the sight of the Tohru looking happy.

"Good morning." He greeted her. "Did you have fun at the party?"

"Yes, and good morning to you Yuki-kun!" She replied. "I'm sorry, I don't have time to make breakfast; we have to get to school soon."

"It's OK, I'll go make myself something." Both of them started for the kitchen and found Ed, completely dressed and helping himself to some rice. Tohru immediately noticed the color of his skin.

"Ed-san, you're so pale!" She stated as she ran up to him and placed a hand on his forehead. "Are you feeling OK?"

"I felt a little sick this morning, but other than that I'm fine." He told her. In truth, he felt like throwing up again, but kept the feeling shoved down.

"You should stay home if you're not feeling well." Yuki added, to which Ed immediately shook his head to. He needed to get out of the house and occupy his mind.

"I'll be OK." He scooped the rest of the rice into his mouth and slipped on the coat he was holding. "Be back later." He called over his shoulder and left the house.

The crisp winter air drove the last of the nausea away, and cleared the alchemist's mind. As he walked onward, he stared at the heavens. The sky was a pearly gray color and a light breeze swept across what little skin he had exposed. There was barely any color anywhere, and silence pressed against his eardrums. For some reason he didn't like it. It made the world seem dead.

He recalled the night three days prior to New Years. When Kisa had found him atop the hill, lamenting somewhat, the night had been beautiful, bright, and colorful. The snow had melted away not too long ago, and now the nights were of harsher hues. He found himself longing for another day like that.

"I wish…it would snow…" He murmured to himself. It was the very first time he had wished for something like since October 3rd, Year 2.

* * *

**Locker Rooms, 7:30 P.M…**

"Ahhh...I'm finally finished with work." Tohru sighed, stumbling into the locker room, exhausted from the day's work. She slipped out of her uniform and back into her school one, pulling on a thick coat while she was at it. The orphan hesitated for a minute when she picked up her scarf.

_"Kyo-kun said that he found it in the streets."_ She thought. _"I must've dropped it when Hana-chan found me."_ Everything that Kureno had told her flashed through her mind again, so vividly that it made her eyes burn again.

_"He said so much…"_ By now the brunette was making her way back to the entrance of the building again. _"It's so hard to wrap my mind around it and…"_

"Did you see him? What a hunk!"

"He's so young, though!"

"That's never stopped you before!"

"I wonder if he's foreign."

"His hairstyle, it's amazing! And I've never seen such a unique eye color!"

"Do you think he's waiting for someone?"

Tohru was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the other female janitors whispering to one another. They were sparing shy glances out the glass entrance door. Tohru immediately recognized the figure outside. He was muscular, obvious even with the thick, dark blue trench coat covering his stature. He had a slightly childish face, with long, braided hair waving in the winter wind. He leaned against the railing of the sidewalk casually, staring at the stars.

Tohru excitedly ran to the door and pushed it open, drawing the attention of the workers to her. They seemed slightly jealous as she hurried to greet the boy.

"Ed-san, hello!" She said happily. "What are you doing here?"

Ed had glanced up at her appearance and smiled in greeting. "I'm just here to pick you up. I lost track of time at the library."

"You did? Thanks so much!" She replied.

"No problem." The alchemist began to make his way down the steps, Tohru close behind him. For a while they walked in silence, and they were pretty much the only ones out on the sidewalk. When she glanced over to him as they passed under a streetlight, Tohru noticed he still appeared a bit sickly looking.

"Are you sure you're feeling OK?" She prompted, and then panicked slightly as he turned his topaz eyes to her curiously. "I-I mean…not that it's any of my business! I j-just thought-"

"Calm down, I'm fine." He reassured her with a slight grin, and then his smile vanished when his look turned serious. "Besides, it's you I'm worried about." Ed stopped abruptly.

"Well, I'm fine, too." Tohru responded, and continued walking, trying to hide her face. "Why do you ask that?"

The blonde-haired alchemist was silent for a moment. Tohru could feel his molten gold gaze following her every movement. She stopped as well when he spoke again, and there was absolute truth in his words.

"Because you're not really…smiling…" He said quietly. Ed could tell her smile was fake from the moment he saw her that morning, when she was talking with Kyo. The orphan stood silently again, willing her confused tears to stay in her eyes. She couldn't move, let alone face him.

"Why did you stay at Hana's last night?" He pried, sounding very concerned. "Did something bad happen?"

Tohru felt herself automatically move her head to look at him, feeling as though she wasn't in control of her body. The orphan felt half there and half immersed in the memories of the events last night. She wasn't even aware of the tears cascading down her cheeks until she saw Ed's eyes widen and his expression rapidly change to a very worried and slightly panicked one.

"Ah crap!!" He scolded himself, running up to her. "Look…I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry!" Tohru turned her face away to try and dry her tears.

"N-no, I'm s-s-sorry…" She hiccupped. "I'm so s-stupid…all I do is cause p-problems for everyone." She shut her eyes tightly to stop the flow of tears. She couldn't look at him, not when she was breaking down like this.

Ed sighed deeply, partly out of exasperation with himself, and partly out of guilt. He reached over and took Tohru by her shoulders gently and pulled her to him so that their bodies were touching slightly, tilting up her chin with his fake hand so he could look at her in the face. Her red-stained eyes widened with surprise.

"It's OK if you don't want to talk about it, 'ya know." He muttered. "I just don't want to see you so hurt. But you know that you can tell me anything, alright?"

Staring into those golden depths made Tohru realize how much the knowledge that Kureno had told her affected her. And she wasn't even aware of the huge burden she had been carrying by knowing all that.

Last night she couldn't tell Hana everything because it involved the Sohma curse. She could tell him. Her tears begin to pour again.

"K-Kureno…san…and U-U-Uo…c-chan!" She stuttered, tearing her upset gaze away from Ed's. "She w-wanted to s-see Kureno-san but…he…c-couldn't! H-he was…a Zodiac member…but his c-curse…w-was broken…and Akito-san…!"

Tohru felt the alchemist tense up with shock. "What…?" he whispered in a strained voice.

"His curse b-broke…long ago…but h-he can't be…with Uo-chan…because he can't…leave A-Akito-san." The orphan didn't like being seen like this; weak looking and stupid. She let her tears fall freely, unable to control them anymore. As she cried the alchemist pulled her closer to him, letting her sob into his coat as much as she needed to. While she clutched the thick fabric tightly, Ed gently rubbed her on the back comfortingly, thinking to himself.

"_So someone's curse broke and now he can be with Tohru's friend, but he won't because he can't leave Akito?"_ He thought. _"I guess if the curse broke, it would hurt the 'god' of the Zodiac tremendously. Maybe it's out of pity that he stays, but he still must want to see Uo badly. It's just like Tohru to cry for her."_

After wrapping up his theory, he tenderly pulled the weeping brunette away from his body and ran a thumb across her cheek.

"You make Kureno sound just like you, Tohru." Ed told her. "Someone who never gives a damn about himself and what he wants."

"B-but I-" She started, but was cut off.

"I know you're confused, and sad, but remember that times of sadness are like storms." He recalled a saying Winry once told him. "No matter how bad the thunder and lightning gets, it'll always pass. The clouds will clear, and you'll be able to understand everything."

"_You mean so much to me; I don't want your smile to fade. It's the one of the lights…that helped me out of the dark place that was my despair…you helped me get up…and live. I'm still hurt , and you couldn't take away my pain completely, but at least I can move forward some."_

"Cry when have to, but just don't carry what you can't by yourself." Tohru nodded slightly, and then started as she noticed something about Ed.

He was taller than her by about a foot.

When Ed had shown up he was her height at the least. Now, he had grown in the past few months. All the memories of Ed's 'short' rants caused her to giggle slightly.

"What's so funny?" He asked, astonished at her sudden change of attitude.

"You're taller than me!" Tohru laughed, still partially crying. "I just know noticed that!"

The alchemist gaped at this new information. Indeed, Tohru was shorter than him, and obviously it was because of her healthy cooking. The he smiled, relieved that Tohru was laughing sincerely, and that she was actually smiling.

"Well, I guess I have you to thank for that." He chuckled, and then gently pressed his forehead against hers in affection. "Hey, if you ever need to get something off your chest, or need a shoulder to cry on, just let me know. I'll listen." The orphan felt her eyes burn again, this time with gratefulness.

"_He's so…kind, and such a great friend. Even though he's hurting so much, and has so many problems to deal with, he's still willing to help me."_

"Thank you, Ed-san." She whispered, burying her head into the collar of his navy blue coat.

"It's all good." He pulled her away so he could look at her. "Let's go home."

At home waiting for them, however, was a very hungry Shigure.

"Man, after seeing Yuki-kun cook last night, I remembered how grateful I am for you Tohru." The Dog lamented after they walked through the door. "And if asked, I would have to say that it was an absolute train-wreck. I was this close to being sent to Hades!"

Yuki was not amused with Shigure poking fun at his inability to cook. "Hey, at least I tried!"

"Are you kidding?" Ed asked sarcastically, hanging up his coat. "You tried baking curry in the oven, boiling chicken breast with raw egg, and blending the noodles with half-cooked lettuce."

_"Maybe I am lacking in talent…"_ The Rat thought.

* * *

**One week later…**

"Satchan!" Kagura called into the bathroom. "Are you ready? It's almost time to go!"

"Just a minute!" She heard The Tigers muffled voice responded.

"Well, you might want to hurry." Haru walked into the room with Hiro and Momiji close behind. "The amusement park opens soon, and I don't want to be standing in line for the best rides all day."

"OK, I'm finished." Kisa walked out wearing a silver colored dress with green, flowery print on the ends. An emerald green coat coupled with it, along with a pearly-white scarf. It went beautifully with her hair color.

"Kisa-chan!" Momiji exclaimed. "You look so pretty!" She laughed happily

"Onee-chan gave it for me as a New Years present." The Tiger explained. "She said I looked good in these colors, so I decided to give it a try."

"Tohru-kun has excellent taste in colors." Kagura commented.

_"Strange, that women's so out of it half the time, I thought that she wouldn't be able to tell what she's wearing, let alone pick out clothes for anyone else." _Hiro thought to himself.

"Well, with everybody ready I think we should get going." Haru turned to walk out the room, the others following him. Kagura rummaged through her purse for a minute as they left the building.

"Let's see…I have Satchan's and Hiro-kun's tickets here…" She muttered to herself. "And I have mine, Momiji-kun's, and Haru-kun's here…Hey!"

Everyone turned to her at this, and Kagura pulled a ticket for an adult out of the bag, surprise crossing her face.

"I forgot about this extra ticket." She recalled. "I bought them yesterday and called Tohru-kun to see if she would come, but she has work today." The Boar shrugged. "Guess that was silly of me."

"Ya' know, most people would ask around and plan ahead before doing something like that." The Ram pointed out. "That was pretty stupid of you."

"HEY!!!" The Boar started to get into one of her angry fits again. "AT LEAST I WAS BEING THOUGHTFUL!!!"

"Well, there's no point in worrying over it now," Haru stepped in before something bad happened. "So we might as well ask someone else if they want to come."

"What about Yuki or Kyo?" Momiji asked them.

"Yuki's at a student council meeting and Kyo's spending the day at Kazuma-sama's." Haru said back, "That rules them out."

Kisa, who had remained quiet throughout the whole ordeal, spoke suddenly. "We can bring Onii-kun!"

"Yeah!" Momiji agreed. "I haven't seen him in a while so that would be a great idea."

_"Ah crap!"_ Hiro thought, with an annoyed glance at Kisa. _"I don't need him butting in!"_

"I doubt he's going to come." He said, surprising the others. "From what I hear from Shigure he hardly goes anywhere else other than the library. And even if we ask him it's pretty unlikely that he'll leave his research or whatever the heck he's doing."

"Well, that's true…" Momiji agreed sadly. Any attempt to drag Ed's attention away from a book would have the same effect as tickling a tree: None.

Haru suddenly had an idea form in his head. He checked his watch. The library by Shigure's house opened in thirty minutes, so he still had a little time left. "Momiji, would you run back into the house and get me some fabric?"

"Uh…sure. What kind?" The Rabbit asked.

"The kind we can use as a blindfold."

* * *

**Shigure Sohma's house, 9:30 A.M…**

Ed left Shigure's house looking as calm as ever, even if he was still slightly boiling about Kyo's little joke about his height earlier at breakfast. He was growing for crying out loud, wasn't he?! But that was all the more reason he shouldn't explode about that anymore.

Shaking off his frustration at The Cat, he proceeded down the street. The librarians were starting to see Ed as something like a regular, so they usually made recommendations for him. It annoyed him at first, cause they kept bringing up fiction books, but they soon learned what Ed liked, and he became used to it.

_"I've finished with the history and science section, so maybe I should check out that book on dimensional equations they told me about. It might have something to do with The Gate, because this is something like a different dimension."_

Ed reached the library before too long, a few minutes before it opened to be precise. The blonde alchemist was usually the first one in when they opened the doors, so the courtyard in front of it was empty. He was wrapped up deeply in his thoughts and did not pay much attention to the footsteps behind him.

He had turned his attention to the front door and decided to wait there, when suddenly a piece of cloth was blocking his line of vision and tied back, blinding him.

"WHAT THE-" Before he could retaliate his hands were tied behind his back as well, and he was picked up and thrown over a shoulder. The person that had captured him started running in the opposite direction the alchemist was originally going.

"PUT ME DOWN!!!" He started squirming and kicking, self-defense knowledge and survival instinct kicking in.

"For someone who can beat Yuki and Kazuma-sama in a fight, you sure are quick to let your guard down." His kidnapper stated. Ed immediately stopped fighting to get away when he recognized the voice.

"Haru?!" He said in a very shocked voice.

"The one and only." The Ox replied.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Today, you are our hostage." Haru said matter-of-factly. "You are not going to the library."

"Hey, you got him!" Momiji's voice sounded off nearby, and Ed heard the pitter-patter of his feet. "Good to see you Ed-chan!"

"I wish I could say the same to you!" The alchemist's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Now put me down!!"

"No." He replied simply.

"Will somebody tell me what the hell you guys are up to already?!" Ed demanded.

"We had an extra ticket to the amusement park today, so we're bringing you along." Momiji explained. "We knew you'd say no, though, so Haru had play the kidnapper."

"Well, maybe I don't want to go!" The 'hostage' complained, and started squirming again. "Maybe I want to go back to the library and do my research so I can get home!"

"We got him, you guys!" Ed heard Momiji call out. "Haru succeeded!"

"Onii-kun!" He heard Kisa's voice shouted to him happily. The moment Ed heard her voice he stopped struggling again, frozen from various emotions crashing over him. Memories of last week's nightmare played a large part of it. He shook his roughly to get his head right.

After recovering he felt Haru put him down and untie the bonds on his hands. After doing so the alchemist ripped off the blindfold with an annoyed grunt and turned to glare at the carefree Ox. Haru ignored this and walked up to the three other people waiting on a bench. Hiro was there, giving Ed an angry look, along with another women Ed didn't know and Kisa.

Seeing The Tiger in her normal state made Ed feel relieved, for he was starting to get paranoid about his nightmare coming true. The friendly sparkle was in her eyes and her tawny hair waved in the wind, blowing the familiar aroma to him. He felt tension leaving his muscles. Haru in the meantime was introducing Kagura to the alchemist. Ed managed to tear his gaze away from The Zodiac member in time to see Kagura walk up to him.

"Kagura, this is Edward Elric, the person we told you about." Haru explained. The girl was a pretty brunette with wide brown eyes, which grew even bigger as she looked him over.

"It's so wonderful to finally meet you; I'm Kagura Sohma, the Boar of the Zodiac." She bowed in greeting and held out her right hand, which forced Ed to shake it with his. She gasped a little at the sight at the cold touch of his fake hand, but shook it off.

"Do I really have to go?" He asked Haru, who nodded again.

"Hey, you're our friend, aren't you?" He told him. "Friends have the right to kidnap each other for the day and go do something fun." Ed looked like he was going to protest further, so it was fortunate for them that Kisa stepped in.

"Please Onii-kun?" She pleaded to Ed, who was currently blushing from how cute she looked in the dress (Not going unnoticed by a rather pissed Hiro). "It'd be so much fun, and I'm sure we'll have a great time."

It was her eyes that won Ed over in an instant, though for a moment they became the eyes that were from his nightmare: lifeless and dead.

He started feeling slightly sick again, but steadied himself before he got worse. Back in Amestris, whenever the guilt and shame from pinning Al to a cold metal entity threatened to overcome him, he would usually read a book. This was probably a better way to get away from the all-too-fresh memories.

"Alright, I'll go." He sighed. Kisa was simply overjoyed. Hiro, spotting an opportunity, quickly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away.

"Then let's go already." He muttered in a voice that sounded painstakingly like Al's when he was annoyed. It made Ed start slightly, and made him sigh again.

"Don't sigh, Ed-chan." Kagura scolded him. "You blow happiness away each time you do that."

"What's wrong with you people?" He muttered with a small smile, and hurried to catch up to Kisa and Hiro. Momiji fell back with Kagura and Haru, turning to the latter.

"You were planning on using Kisa as a trump card in case he didn't give in, weren't you Haru?" Momiji laughed.

"Well, yeah. But only as a last resort." Haru admitted, and chuckled a little. "Hiro clearly doesn't like competitors, so the game of love is going to get rather interesting."

"What do you mean?" Kagura asked, not in tune with the events that took place during the cultural festival, and what everyone had witnessed. "Does Ed-chan like Satchan?"

"Well, it's pretty obvious." Momiji pointed out. "I just can't wait to see what fate has in store for this love-triangle."

* * *

**Kaibara Public High School, 9:30 A.M…**

"Hey Yun-Yun!" Kakeru greeted Yuki as he walked to the meeting room in a bit of a daze, partly from waking up early that morning, and partly from being a victim Ed's rant. The rest of the student council committee gaped at the sight of a large bruise on his forehead, plus he was slightly limping.

"What happened to you?" Nao asked with wide eyes.

"I was an unnecessary victim of violence this morning." He said simply as he sat down.

"What? Did that Kyo guy catch you off guard?" Kakeru probed.

"Never mind." The rat muttered, and turned his attention to the situation at hand. "The senior graduation and their party's tomorrow, so we have a lot of paperwork to finish for the week concerning the bills for food, decorations, and music. It might take the whole of the week so-"

"Kimi already finished all the paperwork!" A bright voice piped up from the other end of the table. It was silent for a second.

"WHAT?!" Everyone shouted, minus Machi, who simply raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Yup!" Kimi answered brightly. "I did all the paperwork last night right after school ended."

"How the hell did you do that?!" Nao demanded. Yuki quickly grabbed the piles of paper from the cabinets and skimmed through them.

"These are perfect." He announced, completely stunned. "Why did you do them all by yourself?"

"Because," She explained with a huge grin on her face and a sparkle in her eye. "Kimi has dates after school every day this week, so I didn't want to have to come to meetings after school, and I have a date in half an hour."

"How'd you get that many dates?" Nao asked in shock.

"Kimi-chan's grown up so much." 'Flying-pot-kun' said in mock sadness, wiping a tear. "I remember the times when she would only go out with someone once a week. Nao-chan's gown as well." He smacked Nao on the back playfully, who retaliated with a swipe at him.

"Shut up!" Kakeru leaned back to avoid the blow, laughing as he did so. However, Yuki pounded him after that.

"Ow! That hurt, Princess!" Calling Yuki by that name resulted in another fist to the head.

"Manabe-san, let's focus on the task at hand, shall we?" Yuki reminded him, an eye twitching. To prevent tempting himself, he turned to the black-hair first-year.

"Thank you for doing the paperwork, that's really taken a load off of us, so I guess that this meeting is over."

"You can just thank Kimi later," She said happily, and stood up. "If you don't mind, I have to go get ready for my date! Bye!" She trotted out of the room, Nao shaking his head.

"Sometimes, I just don't get that woman…" He muttered.

"Awesome!" Kakeru shouted, jumping up with triumph. "We don't have to do paperwork! We should celebrate!"

"How?" Yuki asked, wondering what his overly enthusiastic friend was going to think up this time.

"Let's go to the amusement park! They have a kickass new ride there."

"I don't know about that, it's kind of expensive." Machi said quietly, speaking for the first time since Yuki had arrived.

"Actually, I think we should go." Yuki prompted. "It'd be fun, and we've been so busy lately with the graduation planning."

"Wow, Yun-Yun, you're actually siding with me for once!" Kakeru said jokingly.

"No, I'm not, I'm only agreeing to what you're saying."

"Ugh, if you guys are going to keep arguing, I'm going home and getting back in bed." Nao got up and left in a hurry.

"Well, then that leaves you and me and Machi, Yun-Yun." Kakeru grabbed his coat from the back of his chair. "I'd go home myself, but I don't want to leave you alone with poor, defenseless Machi." His half-sister slapped him from embarrassment, leaving a red, hand-shaped mark on his cheek.

"The way you say that, it makes you sound like a dirty old man." Yuki angrily responded, "And you were the one who suggested this trip in the first place."

"I'm just teasing you Yun-Yun." Kakeru explained, rubbing his face. "Sheesh Machi, when did you get such a strong hand?"

"I think I'll pass." Machi muttered. "I'll just go home."

"Come on Machi, it'll be fun." Yuki told her.

"…alright." She shrugged, and stood up to go as well. Yuki gave her a reassuring smile.

"I've always wanted to go somewhere fun with you Machi, and get to know you better." He told her, resulting in a deep blush from her.

"W-whatever." She turned her face away quickly, and started out of the room. Yuki followed, but was attacked by Kakeru.

"Yun-Yun's grown up, too!" He teased, and this time was prepared for the swing at his head.

* * *

**Amusement Park, 10:30 A.M…**

"WwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Adrenaline coursed through the alchemist's veins as the roller coaster reached the top of the track and sped downwards at an incredible speed, so naturally he screamed in fear and excitement. Sitting next to him in the car were Momiji and Haru, both of them laughing their heads off.

The fastest thing Ed had ever rode on was a train. And when terrorists had attempted to take over the train and capture the Governor, the alchemic prodigy had had to climb on top of the moving transporter to get to the first car without suspicion.

This roller coaster made that train look like a horse buggy. Despite the fact that he was safely strapped down and had done dangerous things like running around the top of a moving train, this was absolutely terrifying.

The ride twisted and turned on the tracks, turning everything into a blur to Ed, so he was content to just shut his eyes tight and wait patiently for the ride to stop. When it did, everything started to spin.

"That was awesome!" The Rabbit cried out happily as he jumped out of the car. "Let's go again."

"I'm with you." Kagura agreed, stepping out from her car with Kisa and Hiro.

"Ed-kun, are you alright?" Haru asked calmly as the blond youth stumbled out of his seat in a complete daze and onto the ground.

"Could you stop spinning the room Haru," He begged weakly. "I 'wanna get off."

"Maybe we should've started out on an easier ride." Kagura helped Ed to his feet carefully so she wouldn't transform. He grabbed onto The Boar's shoulder for support, hoping that he didn't fall in a heap again.

"No, I'm fine." Ed replied in a rather high voice from the adrenaline rush. Hiro laughed.

"You looked hilarious on that roller coaster, like a deer caught in a car's headlights."

"That's actually pretty close to the truth." Momiji told him. "I've never seen anyone so shaken by a roller coaster before."

"I was just caught off guard, that's all." Ed responded, still rather dizzy. Haru let the alchemist lean on his shoulder as they left the ride.

The park was as busy as ever, with people running around bringing various kinds of foods to their friends and excited kids dragging their parents to get on their favorite rides. Despite this, it wasn't as packed as Ed thought it was going to be.

"_I wonder why Haru wanted to come early."_ He thought while glancing around, his head still spinning some. _"Maybe it gets crowded during midday and there's more of a chance of bumping into someone of the opposite gender."_ After this thought, a warm scent drifted into his nose, which he identified as cooking meat.

Everyone else must've smelled it, for Hiro suddenly said, "I'm getting kinda hungry, so let's eat. Hey Ed, make yourself useful and go get me a hot dog."

"Not now, I can't see straight." Ed complained.

"Hiro, be nice." Momiji scolded The Zodiac Ram. "Ed-chan isn't doing so well right now."

"I've got it, anyone else want one?" Haru helped Ed steady himself before hurrying over to the hot dog stand.

"Onii-kun, are you sure you're alright?" Kisa asked worriedly.

"Relax, I'm fine now." He shook his head roughly to clear it, and gave her a grin, which she returned with her own smile. Unbeknownst to both of them, Hiro was currently glaring daggers at the alchemist.

"_Why did he have to come?"_ He thought furiously. _"And why does Kisa have to be so attached to him? And he's still jumping somewhat whenever I talk. He's just like that stupid women! Always stealing my time with Kisa."_

"Hiro-kun, if you keep soliloquizing over there, someone will bump into you." Kagura told him, snapping him out of his angry thoughts. "Ah, Haru-kun's back!"

The Ox carried a tray with six hot dogs over to the group, to which they immediately helped themselves to. Ed's was gone in ten seconds.

"Don't choke on it now!" Momiji reminded him with a laugh.

"Damn, that was good." The alchemist said contently, and started looking around at the other kiosks. "What else is there to eat?"

"There's cotton candy, grilled squid, noodles, candied apples, dumplings, and all sorts of other stuff." Kagura pointed to each of the food stands in turn. "Or we can try our hand at-" Her conversation with Ed was cut off when someone carrying a large tray of food crashed into the alchemist. Both fell to the ground with a loud grunt, popcorn flying everywhere.

"Onii-kun!" Kisa was at his side in an instant.

"Ah! Ed-chan, are you alright!?" Kagura said in worry. Ed rubbed his head and growled in annoyance.

"What the hell's your problem?!" He said angrily at the boy, who sat up and looked at Ed.

"Sorry about that!" The boy who crashed into Ed was black-haired and currently smiling apologetically. He began brushing the popcorn he spilled off his shirt. "I wasn't looking at where I was going. It's kinda hard when you've got lots of food blocking you view."

"You look familiar…" Haru suddenly said. "Do I know you?"

"I know that I know you; you're Yun-Yun's cousin." He said.

"Oh, right, you're Kakeru Manabe, the Student Council Vice President. I thought you had a meeting today." Momiji added.

"One of our members kindly finished the paperwork we had to do this week for us last night, so we had nothing else to do expect have some fun here." He turned to Ed and helped out a hand to help him off the ground. "Again, sorry about running into you."

"Next time, watch where you're going, will you please?" Ed accepted Kakeru's help, and realized a second too late that he had grabbed his hand with his metal one (His glove slipped off when he fell to the ground). Kakeru instantly felt the cold metal against his skin, and stared at the fake hand with wide eyes. Ed, already used to this, waited for his shocked and sickened expression, but instead…

"DUDE!! That's so cool!" Kakeru pulled Ed to his feet and began examining the arm with honest enthusiasm, much to the dismay of a stunned Ed. "I've heard about these, but I never saw one for real. Is it true that you can put all kinds of weapons in these things, like they do in the movies?"

"Manabe-san, where are you?!" Yuki's voice cut through the crowd to them, and he appeared not too far away with a brown-haired girl, her face strangely expressionless.

"Yun-Yun, Machi, check this out!"Ed jerked his arm out of Kakeru's tight grip, and turned to Yuki who approached them with a shocked expression on his face.

"What are you all doing here," Yuki asked his fellow Zodiac Members. "You in particular Elric-san." The alchemist sighed.

"I was on my way to the library when I was kidnapped by Haru, and before I knew what happening, I ended up here." He shrugged.

"_Odd, I didn't really expect to see Elric-san here of all places."_ Yuki noted. "_And I really hoped he wouldn't meet Manabe-san." _He looked at 'Flying-Pot-kun', who was now going on about Ed's arm again.

"Umm, Manabe-san, Machi, this is Edward Elric." Yuki interrupted Kakeru before he could get too far. "He's a friend of the family."

"I know, he just crashed into me." Ed said accusingly to Kakeru, who picked his tray of food off the ground.

"Well, the popcorn didn't make it," He threw the empty bag in a nearby trash can. "But everything else is fine. So who are these three?" he gestured to the other Zodiac Members.

"Umm…I'm Kisa Sohma." The Tiger greeted him shyly. "And this is Hiro Sohma and Kagura Sohma."

"I saw you at the cultural festival." Kakeru recalled. "You're such a cute little girl." Kisa was suddenly pulled away from him.

"Come on Kisa," He suddenly said, desperate to get her away from Kakeru's attention. "Let's go play some games."

"I was…um…going to go play with Onii-kun, but I guess we can all go." She said optimistically, making Hiro irritated again.

"Fine…" He muttered through gritted teeth. Yuki, in the meantime, was introducing Ed to Machi.

"Elric-san, this is Machi Kuragi, our school treasurer. She's also Manabe-san's half-brother.

"Nice to meet you." He held out his flesh hand to greet her, and she shook it calmly.

"What really happened to your arm?" She asked, releasing his hand. Ed glanced at the metal, and, realizing it was exposed, quickly slipped his glove back.

"It was lost in an accident not too long ago, and most of my leg's gone as well." He said, then shrugged. "It's OK, though, I'm used to it."

"I think it's pretty neat," Kakeru commented. "Amazing how someone as short as Nao-chan can deal with the pain of losing limbs."

"Manabe-san, get down!!" Yuki immediately tackled his friend to the ground, while Haru rushed to their rescue.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A RUNT SO TINY THAT HE CAN ONLY BE SEEN WITH A MAGNIFYNIG GLASS, YOU JERK?!?!?!?!?!" The enraged alchemist writhed and tried to break free of Haru's grip.

"Let's go play some games, Ed-kun." Haru said calmly, and dragged him away towards Kisa and Hiro, the latter watching them with shock and annoyance.

"Geez, calm down." Hiro told him as Ed struggled to get back and kill Kakeru.

"Umm…Onii-kun…" Kisa began shyly, not sure what to say while Ed was this irritated. "Can we all go and play some games together, if you don't mind?"

Ed stopped his rant in an instant, and looked away from her, his face tomato red. "Y-yeah, OK." He mumbled. Haru set him down, and Kisa took hold of his hand and led him towards the area with games.

"Easy, Hiro." Haru told The Ram, who looked like he very well wanted to run up and pound Ed's skull in.

"He just makes me angry all the time." He muttered, and followed the pair, Haru close behind.

Kakeru had picked himself up off the ground and watched Haru drag Ed away, and then watch his expression as he looked at Kisa. He knew that look anywhere. It was that same entranced and tender stare that the Yuki Fan Club gave their Student Council President.

"They look so sweet together, don't they?" Momiji sighed happily.

"I think so, too." Kagura agreed.

"I don't know," Kakeru mused. "Elric-kun's got a shorter temper than Nao-chan."

"He seems sad though…" Machi's statement had them all turning around to her.

"How do you mean?" The Boar asked. Machi hesitated before speaking again.

"It's like there's a pain in his heart that he can't overcome, and keeps hurting him." She explained.

"_He's like Yuki. Before, Yuki was always called a prince and loneliness seemed to eat away at him, but now he's better, and is smiling from his heart."_ She thought. _"I wonder if someone can help ease his pain."_

"So how old is he?" Kakeru asked Yuki. "I can't tell cause of the height, but he seems pretty mature."

"He turned 17 last month." Yuki remembered. They had found out his age by way of Hohemheim, who sent his son some of his collection of alchemy books collected from all over the world for a birthday present. Tohru had panicked upon learning that it and had rushed to make a cake, despite the many protests from Ed.

"And how old is Kisa-chan?" Kakeru continued.

"She's 13." Kakeru was silent for a second, then…

"That sicko!!" Kakeru shouted to the sky, making a scene somewhat. "What is this world coming to?!"

"You're one to talk." Yuki retaliated.

* * *

"I can't win this stupid game!" Hiro shouted in frustration. He had tried and failed three times to win a prize (a Jack figurine from "The Nightmare before Christmas") he had wanted on the ring toss. Haru, detecting that something was wrong, walked over after winning himself a Karaoke CD.

"What's up?" He asked inquiringly.

"I can't win that Jack figure." He pointed over to where the prize sat.

"Chill out Hiro, I got it." Haru paid the man running the booth so he could try. He was handed three rings. "You know Hiro, sometimes, it's best to just let go of what you can't win."

The Ox ignored Hiro's confused look and skillfully tossed the plastic ring over the figure. Upon winning it he handed it over to Hiro. "And don't expect other people to win it for you all the time. You can ask for help if you really need it, but sometimes you just need to deal with it by yourself."

"Yeah, whatever. Thanks, Haru-nii." He muttered. The carefree Ox just patted him on the head and walked back over to Ed and Kisa.

Hiro watch, quite annoyed, as Ed successfully threw three baseballs into the stack bottles, knocking every single one down. The girl in charge of the stand pulled a large tiger doll from the shelf and handed it to Ed, who gave it to a delighted Kisa.

The Ram sighed through gritted teeth, hoping with all his heart that Haru hadn't meant what he thought he did.

* * *

**The Main House of the Sohma's , 3:30 P.M…**

Akito lay curled on his bed as usual, sulking over what had happened New Years. Why was everyone betraying him? He was the one who they couldn't live without. He was the one who was born to be loved.

"Kureno?" Akito asked, turning his head to the table where the former Bird sat reading a book.

"Yes Akito-san?" He set it down in an instant.

"Why is everyone leaving?" He said in despair. "That idiot Yuki said all those nasty things to me, and why didn't they come and see me when that happened."

"I don't know Akito-san." The 'god' stood up and stretched his stiff muscles.

"I think I'd fancy a bath." He muttered, and began his trip to the bathhouse.

The day was somewhat cloudy, with chances of sunshine on the horizon. As Akito made his way down the path, he heard a group of familiar voices. Upon turning his head he spotted Kagura, Hiro, Momiji, Haru and Kisa walking another path in the garden, a large variety of odds and ends in their arms.

He froze as he spotted someone else with them, and Kisa seemed to be clinging tightly to his hand. Akito let out an audible gasp as he recognized the flash of golden hair from the stranger.

It was Edward Elric; the one from a parallel world.

From Akito's position behind a cherry blossom tree, he could see them all clearly, but they couldn't see the 'god of the Zodiac'. He saw Ed say something to Kisa, and in return got a laugh from her.

From the way he was looking at The Tiger, it made Akito's blood boil with jealousy and anger.

* * *

**The next day…**

"You wanted to see me Akito-san?" The head maid walked into Akito's room curiously. It was the first time in a while that he had sent for someone other than Kureno. He looked up from his desk as she approached.

"Yes, tell Kureno that when he gets home from the store that he is to see me right away." Akito commanded as he stalked past her, his brisk pace exposing his urgency. The maid knew that this could only mean that someone was going to get scolded.

"Yes, Akito-san." She bowed respectfully and hurried off. As the head maid walked back to her room she, surprisingly enough, happened to run into said person.

"Ah, Kureno-san." She acknowledged him with a bow. "You're back early."

The maid thought she caught a flicker of surprise on his face when she said this, but then it was gone. Shaking it off, she continued. "Akito-san was looking for you. You should go to him."

"Where is he?" He asked.

"I think he's heading to Kisa's house. You best go there."

"OK." He said simply, and started on his way.

* * *

Kisa sighed as she stepped out of her bathroom in a fresh pair of clothing. School had been tough that day, but it was worth it, for she knew full well that she had passed her final exams with flying colors.

She curled up on her bed and started going through some of the pictures from the previous day. Everyone had piled into the photo booth at the park and taken lots of pictures to their hearts content. One particular photo strip made her laugh, even if it was a close call.

The first photo in the strip showed everyone smiling at the camera, waving. They all were lined up in a row. First from the left was Haru, then Hiro, then Kisa, then Kagura, then Ed.

The second was of all of them making funny faces, and that was what made Kisa laughed the hardest. The third was a bit useless as a photo, for there was only a puff of colored smoke in the frame. Kagura had slipped and fallen off the seat she was perched on, and naturally Ed had tried to catch her before she hit the floor. The following event was the result of the third picture.

The final picture was of a confused Ed holding a boar, and everyone else with a shocked expression on their face. After that Kisa had to rush Kagura to the bathroom before she changed back. Even if the curse was nearly exposed, it still was a good memory.

Kisa safely placed the pictures in a drawer so she could scrapbook them later, and then she turned to the sound of footsteps outside her door. They stopped in front of her door.

"Huh?" Kisa said to herself, tilting her head to the side in surprise. The door then banged open to reveal Akito, with a stoic and cold expression on his face.

His household kimono billowed out behind him rather dramatically as he stomped into the room and slammed to door behind him. The Tiger worriedly wondered what she had done this time.

"Umm….Akito…what's wrong?" She asked in concern. The Zodiac god's eyes glared at her coldly as he walked right up to her and towered over her.

"You stay away from Edward Elric." He said in a voice that shook with suppressed fury.

* * *

_**Kakeru:**_ YEAH!! The super awesome student council has finally made an appearance!

_**Kimi:**_ Kimi's so happy!

_**Machi**_: …

_**Ed:**_ So you finally managed to post this chapter.

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Sorry… I meant to post this chapter sooner, but it was the second half that really killed me. I had the worst combination of problems: First of all, I hit a writer's block when I got to the amusement park part. And in the worst timing of the world, I found myself trapped in a two week long South Park craze. It's still affecting me, but the worst of it is over.

_**Kyo:**_ South park…of all things…

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ I know…R&R please, and tone down the flames! I promise to have the next chapter in hopefully by next week, 'cause I know exactly what to type and what everyone will say. Until next time, see 'ya!


	10. Wrath of the Past

_**Author's Notes:**_ I find it easier to write this story by imagining the scenes happening in either manga or anime format, so maybe I'm getting a little too deep with this. I try not to, though. Whenever this story gets too intense or the scenes I type get too vivid in my head for me to handle, I play video games. The Metal Gear Solid series works the best 'cause, for some reason, the sound of guns firing off calms me down. Thanks for being patient with me and for all the reviews! ^-^

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. The scenes that go in sync with the Fruits basket manga also belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei. Everything else mentioned belongs to their rightful creators and owners. Plot belongs to me.

_**Inspiration for this chapter:**_ Let it Rock by Kevin Rudolf, I Am…All of Me by Crush 40, This is Halloween by Korn, The Metal Gear Solid Theme from Metal Gear Solid, Riot by Three Days Grace, Samus vs. Meta Ridley from Metroid Prime, and In the End by Linkin Park.

* * *

Chapter 10

Wrath of the Past

**Shigure Sohma's House, 5:30 P.M…**

Ed yawned as he walked through the front door, stretching his flesh arm. Already he could smell Tohru's cooking wafting through the kitchen entrance. Said person heard him enter the house, and she trotted out of the kitchen to greet him.

"Hi! Welcome home Ed-san!" She looked a little messy, holding a spatula and some kind of batter splattered on her apron. To Ed, that was a sign that they were gonna have an awesome dinner that night.

"Hello to you, too." He replied, flashing a lopsided grin. "I take it we're having pancakes tonight."

She nodded. "Momiji-kun sent me a great pancake recipe he found online, so I thought we'd try it tonight. They won't be ready for a while, though."

"That's OK, take your time." He walked past her to the stairs. "I'm gonna go take a nap, but if you need me, don't hesitate to ask."

"OK!" While Tohru turned around and hurried back to the kitchen to make sure the pancakes didn't burn, Ed began to feel groggy again. He needed some sleep in a bad way. Trudging up the stairs in a slight daze, he sluggishly entered his room and flopped down on his bed, not even bothering to take his boots off.

"_I've been so tired all day." _He had nearly nodded off twice in the library, which was unusual for him. _"Maybe it's because of all that running around we did yesterday."_ A smile started to creep up his face.

_"Yesterday was fun…"_

**

* * *

**

_"Thanks for letting me use your shower, you guys." The teenage alchemist said as he walked in the sitting room, fully dressed in spare clothing and drying his long hair off with a towel._

_"No problem." Haru replied. He, Momiji, Kisa, Kagura, and Hiro were all currently eating dinner that their maids prepared for them._

_After Kagura transformed in the photo booth, the puff of smoke had grabbed some attention, forcing them to leave the park. Along the way another man had crashed into Ed while running, which resulted in the alchemist being knocked into a puddle. Soaking wet, they brought him back to the main estate for to clean him up and eat dinner. The blonde alchemist sat down and began braiding his hair absentmindedly._

_"Why'd you grow your hair out like that?" Hiro asked him, looking up from his plate of food. "Seems like it'd just get in the way."_

_Ed shrugged. "After I turned 11, when I decide to join the military, I started growing my hair out. My brother told me I looked older that way."_

_"Why, 'cause you're so short that you'd be mistaken for a 5 year old?" Hiro joked, and noticed a moment too late that Momiji was giving him the 'cut it out' signal. Haru leaped across the table and pinned Ed to the ground._

_"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A GRAIN OF SAND SO TINY THAT HE'D BE CRUSHED BY AN ANT!?!?!?!?!?!?!" The fiery youth struggled to reach Hiro's neck and strangle him. The Ram flinched for a minute but then looked at him evenly._

_"Calm down, I was just a joking." Hiro told him, while enduring Kagura's scolding._

_"Hiro-kun, be nice!" She told him. "Why do you annoy people like that?!"_

"_Because they annoy me." Hiro replied simply. Ed sat back up, brushing his clothes off, and sent a dark glare at the prickly kid. Hiro glared right back._

"_So anyway," Kagura quickly attempted to break the tension before something else happened. "I've heard that you can do some form of alchemy." She looked at Ed eagerly and expectantly from across her plate of ginger pork. He smiled at her._

_"Yeah, and it's sort of an art in my world. I can perform it here, but it's kind of limited when I do it like this." With those last two words the alchemist clapped his hands together and placed it on the table. Instantly blue lighting shot out from under his hands as the table began to contort and change. Hiro and Kagura leaped back in shock, while Haru, Momiji, and Kisa watched in anticipation. The result of the transmutation was a boar figure made from the wood of the table. _

_The Zodiac Rabbit laughed slightly. "Are all your demonstrations going to be statues of our Zodiac animal?" he joked. Kagura was ecstatic._

_"Amazing!" She said happily with her already round eyes huge. "Teach me to do that!"_

_"Me too, if you don't mind."Kisa added rather shyly, as if unsure of asking him. "I really wanna learn from you Onii-kun."_

_"You have to be more experienced in order to transmute without a circle," Ed answered, slightly breathless, then patted Kisa on the head. "But I can teach you to do it with a circle." He looked over at Haru. "Do you have some chalk anywhere?"_

_"In the back room, I think." Haru got up and walked to a nearby closet. The Ram, in the meantime, had recovered from his speechlessness and was now examining the small boar figure._

_"Is this basically all you do with alchemy?" He asked. "Create little statues like this? 'Cause it seems pretty lame to me."_

_"Not exactly," The alchemist explained. "You can deconstruct things in addition to making them." He clapped his hands again, and the animal figure morphed back into the table in a flash of azure light. "Other times it can be helpful for everyday needs, like boiling water for soup, or fixing something that's broken."_

_"You make it sound like it's pretty important to your country." Haru commented as he walked back to the table holding a few pieces of chalk in his hand. He placed them on the kotetsu and Ed picked one up._

_"It is to everyone. 'Alchemists work for the people'; that's our motto." He carefully began to draw a circle on the table, and the Zodiac members observed closely. They watched as Ed drew two triangles into the circle as well as a square._

_"This is a basic transmutation circle." He put the chalk down, and looked at Momiji. "Remember to focus and try to put your own energy into the circle, and don't forget-HEY!!!" Momiji, unable to sit still any longer, immediately lunged across the table with an enthusiastic laugh and slammed his hands onto the circle. Nothing happened minus a loud slapping sound._

_"Awwww, I can't do it!" He shook his hands from the sting. Ed started laughing._

_"You can't just activate one on your first try! There are a lot of angles you need to cover. You have to know the chemical make-up of the table, know the equations, visualize what you want to create, and control the energy flow from your body into the circle. Plus you have to make sure that there aren't flaws in the circle."_

_"Sounds hard." Kagura complained._

_"I know it sounds tough, but once you get the hang of it, it'll come to you naturally." Ed looked back at The Rabbit. "This table is made of basic carbon elements, so try again, but this time, focus."_

_The Zodiac Member placed his hands flat on the circle again, his face scrunched up in concentration. Amazingly, the circle lit up slightly, but flickered and died a moment later. But despite that, Momiji let out a delighted gasp. Kisa and Kagura cheered._

_"That was good for your first time." Ed praised him. "Just make sure you don't practice it without me observing the process. I don't want you ending up stuck in the floor or something."_

_"Me next! Me next!" The Boar eagerly waved her hands in the air._

_Ed continued to teach the Zodiac Members for another hour, and the only one who came close to an actual transmutation was Haru. Soon, however, it began to get late. And in the midst of Hiro's near transmutation, Kisa glanced at the clock, and jumped when she realized what time it was._

_"Umm…Onii-kun, it's getting late, and I need to get up for school tomorrow so…"_

_"It's OK, and I'd better get going before it gets too dark." Ed got up from the table. "Thanks for having me."_

_"Do you need help finding the way out?" Haru ask him, picking up the considerably shorter chalk pieces._

_"No, I think I can manage without getting lost." He picked up the bag of prizes he had won at the amusement park and put his favored navy blue trench coat back on (though he still missed his red one). Ed was just about to walk out when he felt someone tugging the hem of his coat. He turned to see that Kisa had gotten up from the table. She clutched the fabric and looked at him uncertainly._

_"Onii-kun…I was wondering…umm…that is…if you don't mind…can you come with all of us next time we go somewhere fun, please?" She finished quickly._

_"Yeah, you're really fun to have around!" Kagura added. Ed felt strangely touched._

_"That sounds great, actually." He smiled at all of them, not really noting Hiro's annoyed expression._

_"Yay!" Momiji exclaimed, punching the air joyfully._

_"Alright, I'll see you all later!" He waved over his shoulder as he turned and left the room, but not after patting Kisa on the head in affection. The Zodiac Members called their goodbye as The State Alchemist headed out the door._

_The night was cool, but not the chilling temperature that it had been the previous week. Spring was well on its way, and soon it would get warmer. Ed contently sighed as he headed down a garden path. His memory of how they got to Haru's house was good enough for Ed to backtrack. _

_While passing one of the biggest houses Ed suddenly got the feeling of eyes boring into the back of his head. He turned to look at a window by a large cherry blossom tree. In the light of the moon he could just make out a figure leaning out the window, his head obviously turned towards him. It was Akito, watching him leave the estate._

_The teenage alchemist could tell that the expression on the 'god's' face was a glare. Then, quite suddenly, Akito vanished back into his room and shut the window._

_Shrugging the encounter off, Ed continued to make his way out of the Sohma Estate and back to Shigure's house._

* * *

Ed pulled himself out of yesterday's memories with a jolt, realizing that he had nearly fallen asleep. Rolling off his bed with a moan, he stretched his stiff muscles.

"_That guy, Akito, he seems a bit annoying sometimes. But still, I wouldn't be allowed to live here if it wasn't for him."_

"Ed-san, dinner's ready!" He heard Tohru call out to him from the base of the steps. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he groggily exited his room and out into the hallway.

_"I should do something nice for him when I get the chance…"_

**

* * *

**

**The Main House of the Sohmas, 5:30 P.M…**

Kisa needed a moment to get this information through her head. "What…do you mean?" She asked in confusion.

"Don't you dare play dumb with me." Akito scolded her with a venomous voice. "I saw you with him and the others yesterday; I saw the way you were looking at him."

"H-he really means a lot to me, but-" She stuttered, but was cut off.

"I'm sick and tired of everyone running out on me. I am 'god', and you have absolutely no reason to live without me."

"Umm…w-well…I-I'm sorry, Akito…but…" Kisa began to get scared, and started backing away, which caused Akito to advance. The last time Akito had hit her, it had taken her injuries two full weeks to heal. She didn't want Ed to get hurt.

"You've all neglected the Zodiac bond." The 'god' continued. "Ever since that Honda girl showed up, all the Zodiac members have been getting petty little ideas in their heads. But that's about to change."

"B-b-but…Akito…" Kisa was truly frightened now for Tohru and Ed. "I-I it's not their fault that-"

_**"SHUT UP!!!"**_ He swung at her with an open hand, and the Zodiac Tiger just barely managed to duck before it collided with her cheek.

_**"IF IT WASN'T FOR ME, YOU WOULD HAVE NO REASON TO BE ALIVE!!"**_ Akito shouting now had a maniacal edge to it. He pulled back his arm in preparation to smack her. _**"I WAS BORN TO BE LOVED; EVERYONE WAS WAITING FOR ME!!!"**_

"A-A-Akito, p-please…I…" The door opened gently a moment later, revealing Kureno. Akito turned at the sound and faced his favorite Zodiac member.

"You sent for me Akito?" Kureno said calmly, despite the scene in front of him: Kisa was cowering in a corner of the room from Akito, who had a fist raised high to strike The Tiger.

"Ah, you're home early, but perfect timing Kureno." Akito's angry tone lowered to a business like one as Kureno shut the door. "Fetch Hatori, and tell him that he is to erase the memories of Tohru Honda and Edward Elric. My tolerance for all this nonsense has run out."

"Wait! Akito, you can't!" Kisa protested, which resulted in Akito spinning around to swipe at her with a curled-up fist. He missed again, but his knuckles scrapped along her cheek.

"I can, and I will." Akito said slowly and coolly in spite of himself. He turned to leave, but was surprised when he saw that Kureno still stood there at the door entrance. "Kureno, I told you to fetch Hatori, now go."

"I'm afraid I can't do that Akito." Kureno told him simply with a strangely straight face.

Akito's face scrunched up with fury again, and this time there was fear with it too. Now Kureno was being rebellious? Well, he would just have to fix that.

"So you're betraying me too, Kureno?!" Akito yelled. "Why?! _**WHAT'S WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU!?!?!**_" Akito ran up to the ex-Bird attempted to slap him, but Kureno grabbed Akito's and held it with an iron grip.

"Kureno, why!?!? Why are you betraying me? You said you'd stay!" Akito pulled his arm away and spoke to him with fear in his voice. His eyes began to burn. Was he going to leave, too?

Kureno looked calmly at Akito, who had backed off now, looking very scared. Akito's fear turned to confusion as Kureno smiled in a way that was very unlike him.

"Oh, I'm so very sorry." His voice suddenly changed to a different, younger tone. It was eager, manic and dark, which caused Kisa to shudder involuntarily. "Where are my manners? You see, I'm not Kureno." A flash of bright light enveloped 'Kureno', and Akito and Kisa could only watch in shock as his figure changed.

He was replaced with a lithe young man, dressed in a skin-tight black shirt and a skort. Long, spiky green hair fell down to his waist. A red tattoo of a winged snake eating its own tail was visible on his left thigh. His eyes had slits like a cats, only they were colored a sick purple shade.

And those eyes were hungry for blood and death.

Akito's mind tried to grasp what was going on, 'cause Kureno could not have just suddenly changed into this strange person. The creature smiled at him, revealing razor sharp teeth.

"Please forgive me for being so rude." He said to Akito with false politeness. "Allow me to introduce myself to you. My name is Envy. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"W-what…what are you?" The 'god' whispered as he started backing away in horror, while Kisa pressed herself into her corner as far as she could. He was terrifying, and a vibe emitted from him that made her skin crawl.

"I am a Homunculus, an immortal being." Envy said matter-of-factly to him, and he approached them both slowly. "A living doll created by alchemy, but without a soul."

"But…you w-were…Kureno…j-just a m-minute ago…" The Tiger choked out. He was on a level of 'scary' that Akito nor any horror movie ever made could ever reach. Kisa froze in fear as he got closer and looked at her with a hungry gaze. She hardly acknowledged the fact that Akito had backed into the corner with her in terror.

"What a cute little girl you are." Envy told Kisa with a mocking tone, crouching down to look at her at eye level. "No wonder that Full Metal runt likes you so much."

He began chuckling softly, but a moment later he threw back his head and his quiet snickers rose to psychotic laughter. It was the kind of laugh a serial killer would let out when he was about to kill his poor, helpless victims. Both Akito and Kisa could feel the hair on the back of their necks stand up. He stopped after few seconds and looked at them with a maniacal expression on his face, his smile insanely eager.

"I've got a score to settle with that bastard!" Envy announced to them. "And you're both gonna help me do it!!" He swung his fist back and threw it forward. It collided against Akito's skull with a dull thud as said person gasped in horror. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he crumpled to the floor in a heap.

"Akito-UGH!!!" Kisa's cry was abruptly cut off when The Sin's knee sharply hit her in the stomach, knocking her breath out of her. She gasped for breath as her legs gave way beneath her and she fell to the floor. Envy caught her before she hit the ground. He propped the Zodiac Tiger up slightly on his shoulder and leaned his lips close to her ear. Surprisingly she didn't transform.

"Edward Elric will come looking for you, just like the time he came looking for his little brother." He whispered, making Kisa shiver. "And when he finds you, I'll be there to kill him _again_."

"No…" She choked out. "Leave Onii-kun…alone…" Her eyes then shut and everything faded to black.

* * *

Kureno stepped out of his car and down the pathway back to Akito's room, arms laden with candy bars from a grocery store. Akito had woken up from a nightmare during an afternoon nap and suddenly asked the Ex-Bird for something sweet. Not exactly knowing what he liked and didn't like, Kureno just went out and bought one of every kind he could see.

Sometimes Akito had the strangest choice in foods.

Shaking off the thought of Akito's occasional weird cravings, Kureno entered the main house and hurried back to Akito's room. Upon opening the door, he called out to Akito. Strangely, he wasn't in there.

"Kureno?" The voice of the head maid called out from behind him in complete surprise. He spun around to see her shocked face. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?" He responded in confusion. "I'm looking for Akito. Where is he?"

"I told you he was going up to Kisa-san's house 5 minutes ago, and you went there."

"What are you talking about? I just got home." Kureno was really confused now.

"But I saw you earlier. If you were still out, then who…was I…talking to?" The elderly lady's voice trailed off into a scared whisper.

Kureno dropped his bag of candy and sprinted down the hall, out of Akito's house and towards Kisa's. The maid struggled to keep up, but managed. Upon reaching The Tiger's house, he hurried in and to her room.

"Akito!!!" He yelled as he slammed the door open, and gasped as he took in the state of the room.

The room had been vandalized by someone. The bed was overturned, the curtains were ripped, chairs overturned, and the window glass was shattered. Clearly it seemed like a struggle had taken place. The head maid caught up to him as Kureno stood frozen in horror, and she let out a shocked cry.

"What happened?!" She muttered.

"I think you were talking to some sort of imposter earlier." Kureno responded in a tight voice, and carefully stepped into the room. He spotted an envelope lying near the broken window and picked it up. He quickly opened it, expecting a ransom note of some kind, but instead, it was a recipe for cookies.

Throwing it down on the floor, Kureno turned back to the maid. She looked very scared. This was not a good time for panic to escape into the rest of the family. If the police got involved, then the curse could risk being exposed.

"We can't let the authorities or anyone else not within the inner ring find out about this." He told her. "If someone 'outside' knows about our curse, then maybe this is for blackmail. Call Shigure-niisan and Hatori-niisan. We need help!"

* * *

**Shigure Sohma's house, 6:00 P.M…**

"I swear if I eat any more, I'll burst." Kyo groaned after devouring his 5th pancake.

"They just taste too damn good, though…" Ed had laid his head down on the table. "Tohru, you should open your own restaurant."

"I-I…don't know if I'm good enough for that though…" Tohru protested, extremely flattered. The residents of Shigure's house were sitting down to eat Tohru's cooking. It was an interesting dinner considering the fact that a fight over the syrup had nearly broken out between Ed and Kyo. Yuki had to step in before they made a mess.

"But you are, Tohru-kun." The Dog told her. "You have the skill to be a great caterer, you know." Shigure was cut off when the phone rang in the hallway.

"That would probably be Mii-chan." Shigure guessed in exasperation. "Honestly, she really knows how to ruin my dinner."

"She wouldn't be calling so often if you just stopped poking fun at her." Yuki reminded him. "Last time I saw her she looked as though she was about to hang herself on our doorstep."

Ed chuckled quietly to himself, recalling Mitchan's last visit. She was at the doorstep begging Shigure to finish his manuscript. And of course The Dog was the one to calm her down and make her cry simultaneously.

"Well, she just needs to take it easy, and not panic over my deadlines." Shigure smiled, and hurried out into the hallway to answer the phone.

"One day, that woman's going to find a way to get back at him." Yuki noted. "And I hope I'm there to see it."

"I'll hold him down if she needs it." Ed joked lightly, and then glanced out the window when he heard thunder in the distance.

"Great, it's 'gonna rain." Kyo muttered angrily. "Perfect…"

"I hope it doesn't last too long, though." Tohru said worriedly. "We have P.E class outside tomorrow."

It was quiet for a moment, but then it was broken by Shigure's suddenly raised voice. He sounded very worried.

"…I'll be right over, I promise!" There was a clatter as the phone was hung up, and then the pounding of hurried footsteps. The Dog then appeared in the doorway to the sitting room, his usually cheerful face contorted with fear and panic.

"Shigure-san, what's wrong?!" Tohru stood up out of concern.

"That was Kureno on the phone." Shigure explained in a tight voice that was most unlike him. "There's trouble at the main house! Kisa and Akito have disappeared, and Kureno thinks that they were kidnapped!"

* * *

**The Main House of the Sohma's, 7:00 P.M…**

"But what would drive someone just sneak in and kidnap them?!" Haru's voice shook with anger and fear. Hatori, Kureno, Momiji, Hiro, Kagura and the head maids were crowded together outside of Kisa's room, occasionally glancing worriedly at the wreckage. Word had spread among the Zodiac members about what had happened. Hatori had a phone ready in case the kidnappers called.

"They might know about our curse and probably want something from us." Kureno guessed, rubbing his forehead and looking more stressed than usual. "Or they just captured the head of the family and Kisa in order to make some ransom money. From what I hear, they must be highly skilled in disguised for the head maid not to suspect anything."

"Why aren't we calling the police?!" Hiro exclaimed angrily. Out of all of them, he seemed the most worried. "We can't just try and keep this thing under wraps."

"I think that doing that would either result in their deaths, or expose the curse." Hatori reminded him, sounding equally scared.

"Then what can we do?!" Momiji was shaking with fear. "We can't just let them get away with this, what if they come after more Zodiac Members again?"

Everyone paled at this thought, but was shaken out of it by the sound of multiple footsteps pounding down the hallway. Shigure rounded the corner followed by Yuki, Kyo, Tohru, and Ed. All of them had frightened expressions on their faces.

"Hatori, what happened?!" He hurried over to where everyone was crowded around the open door. They all peeked in and gasped.

"Who are these two?" The head maid asked, pointing at Tohru and Ed.

"They're on the 'inside', don't worry about them." Shigure hastily explained, slightly breathless. "Now, what happened to lead up to these events?"

Ed didn't listen as the maid recounted her earlier encounter with Akito and his strange orders. He stared blankly in shock into Kisa's messed up room. The alchemist's mind was in a complete mess. How could Kisa and Akito just be snatched up so suddenly by someone? How could he have let this happen? He made a promise to himself to protect her, right after he realized that he…

"…you say that Akito was angry at Kisa earlier?" Shigure's voice cut through his tormented thoughts. "Maybe the result of this mess is him throwing a tantrum. And maybe because he and Kisa are gone is that he dragged her away to punish her."

_"No, that's not it."_ The blank shock was driven out of Ed's mind as he assessed the situation. He had gotten over the worst of it while on his way to the Sohma Estate, and now he could think a little more clearly. _"The shattered window is proof of that. If Akito did try to hurt Kisa, then there would have been at least a little blood on the floor, and we would've smelled it."_ He had seen enough crime scenes during his time in the military to be able to guess what had happened.

_"Someone did this on purpose to make them think that…"_

"That maybe so, but that still doesn't explain why I saw someone who looked like Kureno and passed himself off as him!" The maid protested.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Yuki asked in complete confusion.

"Whoever the kidnapper was, he looked exactly like Kureno, and used that to get close to Akito and kidnap him." She explained.

The alchemist's eyes widened as he grasped what she had said. No one noticed, for they were entirely focused on the head maid. Horror gripped his chest with sharp claws, and his mind desperately tried to defy what that meant.

_"No…no way…!"_

Common sense told Ed that there was no use in denying it. He stood there at the entrance to Kisa's room, beginning to shudder, while everyone chattered noisily and worriedly behind him. Their frightened voices faded into the background as his terrified thoughts raced around his head. He struggled to keep a terrified expression from emerging on his face. The others couldn't know, not yet.

It was possible; completely possible; the chance that Envy had survived the trip through The Gate and had spent years wandering this world. It was possible for The Sin to see him out on a walk by chance, for him to follow Ed around unnoticed, and discover who he was close to, carefully choosing the right moment to strike.

He had chosen this moment. Disguising himself as Kureno and infiltrating the Sohma Estate as the person Akito trusted the most. Envy would have only needed one moment, just one moment, to get close to Kisa and capture her, use her as bait to lure Ed somewhere and fight him, make him feel agonized and tortured before killing him.

It didn't make sense for him to capture Akito as well; for him not to just disguise himself as Ed, get Kisa somewhere alone, reveal himself and snatch her. But, then again, the more hostages he had, the better leverage he had. Envy wasn't the smartest Homunculi, and he must have been a little desperate. Their capture meant that he wanted Ed to find him, so he could torture him before killing him.

Even so, how could he be sure that this was Envy's doing? Was he just paranoid, a fear arising from his days fighting The Sins?

Ed pulled himself out of his thoughts to try and find a reason. Looking behind him, he saw that the others were still arguing and trying to make sense of what happened. Careful not to make a sound, he cautiously stepped into the room and glanced around, looking for evidence. Spotting an envelope by the window, the blonde youth scooped it up and slipped it into his coat pocket. Ed quickly stepped out of the room, and joined the others, who had not noticed his temporary absence.

"…I honestly don't think that there's anything we can do except wait for whoever did this to call and tell us what they want." Hatori finished with an angry expression on his face.

"This has never happened in the Sohma family before, not once." The head maid told everyone. "If all you Zodiac Members showed even an ounce of concern for Akito-san, then this never would have happened…" The cursed Members looked down to the floor, partly in shame, and partly in defiance.

"Surely you don't want _that_ women to win! That awful, disgraceful whore!" Another one added.

"Be thankful that whatever happened to Akito and Kisa did not happen to the rest of the Zodiac. There's absolutely nothing we can do except wait for a phone call or for Akito and Kisa to come back." Hatori told them, intervening in the elderly woman's rant. "Until then, we just need to wait and-"

A loud crashing noise made them all jump. They spun around to see where it came from, and spotted Ed just a little ways away, an unreadable expression on his face. His metallic hand had punched clean through the wall next to him, leaving a nicely sized hole. The alchemist's eyes stared at nothing in particular, just the floor.

"E-Ed…chan…?" Kagura stuttered worriedly. Not even bothering to acknowledge her or fix the wall, he turned heel and left. Everyone heard his footsteps stomp out of the house until they faded. A concerned squeak escaping from her lips, Tohru started off after him, shortly followed by Yuki, Shigure, and Kyo.

"Where are you going?! Get back here!" The head maid called after them angrily. "We need to wait!"

"Let them go back to their house." The Zodiac Dragon. "We'll call them if something comes up." The maid glared at him, then stalked off in a haughty manner.

Outside, Ed was storming out of the Sohma Estate, determination and agony warring within his soul. He stopped, however, at the pitter-patter of light footsteps following him, and at a voice calling out to him in worry.

"Ed-san! Ed-san, wait!" Tohru caught up to him quickly, slightly out of breath. Closely behind her was the other three Zodiac Members living at Shigure's house.

"Elric-san, I know that it hurts." Yuki said to him. "But don't think you're the only one suffering from this."

"This isn't your fault." Shigure added. "No one could have seen this coming." His words had no effect on Ed, who was still mentally kicking himself.

"_I should have seen this coming."_ He thought, still degrading and blaming himself. _"I should have guessed that Envy would've survive and still try to kill me. And now they're in danger because of me!"_ No one could know about this, not until he was sure.

"I know…" He whispered painfully. The lie came to him easily. "But…I just feel…as if…"

"Look, I know things seem like crap," Kyo told him. "And…I'm just as afraid for Kisa as well."

"I'm so scared." Tohru whispered. "What if we…never see them again?" Tears dripped down her face.

"We will." Ed muttered determinedly. "I know we will."

"Now Ed-kun, don't get any ideas into your head." Shigure scolded him, as if guessing what was on Ed's mind. "We don't know what's going on and we have no idea where we can find them." And with that, he continued down the street back to his house.

_"I beg to differ."_ Ed thought murderously, tightly clutching the envelope in his pocket.

* * *

**Shigure Sohma's house, 8:30 P.M…**

Right after arriving at Shigure's house Ed had stomped up the stairs into his room, despite the concerned protests from Tohru. He locked his door and tore the envelope he had found open. Inside was a cookie recipe. Plopping down in the chair by his desk, he read it over. To anyone else looking over his shoulder, they would have seen a recipe for your average dessert. But to Ed, he could see much more beyond that.

"_I know this style of code anywhere."_ He thought, pulling out a pencil and some paper sheets from the desk drawer. _"This is Dr. Marcoh's!"_

Ed would never forget this kind of code. It had taken several days for him and Al to decipher the notes Dr. Marcoh had recorded for making Philosophers Stones. And when they broke it, he never forgot the horror and nausea that came with it. Envy had worked with the late State Alchemist during the Ishbalan War, so it would make sense for him to use a code that only Ed would recognize.

Turning on the lamp, he immediately began writing notes and scribbling all over the sheets of paper he laid out, murmuring to himself. Thunder began to echo again, this time closing to the house, but Ed hardly heard it. Within ten minutes, he had the entire thing deciphered flawlessly. Fearing the worst, he began to read what he had written down:

'**Greetings, I left this little note for you so that only you would come and find me. I have your little 'sister' and Akito in my clutches, and I know that you want them back. I will free them only for information. Meet at the address I included and I'll let them walked away alive. That is, if you cooperate. You have until midnight, if you're not there by that time, then they die.'**

Close to hyperventilation, Ed shakily read the address where Akito and Kisa were held. An abandoned warehouse, from the looks of it. The alchemist then used all of his will not to shout out in frustration.

Fury coursed through him, and as he gripped the edge of his desk with his metal hand, he felt the wood start to snap underneath it. It was as if a fire had erupted inside him, burning away his common sense and releasing a flurry of emotions within him. There was a blinding anger, at Envy for doing this to him, and at himself for being so reckless and letting this happen. Mixed in was self-disgust, nausea, and most of all, a burning desire to protect Kisa. There was also the feeling of hopelessness.

There was no way he could beat The Homunculus, though. Even after living over 80 years on this side of The Gate and not feeding on the Red Stones that came from Gluttony, he was still possibly a formidable opponent. And Ed had nothing to weaken him with.

Trying not to burst out screaming, he vented the emotions by kicking his bookshelf. It created a very nice thud as books came falling off the shelves, landing open or shut perfectly. Sighing through tightly gritted teeth, Ed reached down and began to pick them up, needing something to occupy his mind with. Upon scooping up one of the books his father sent him, a small envelope slipped out of the cover. Ed had not seen it before because he had not read that book yet.

The alchemist looked at the front in the dim light of the room, reading the words written in his father's strangely messy yet neat scrawl.

'**Just in case.'**

His curiosity piqued slightly, Ed delicately slid his finger under the opening and tore it open. Carefully, he peeked inside and let the small object residing within it fall into his open metal palm. The gleaming white object reflected off of lightning that flashed outside his window, and the blond youth gasped as he realized what it was.

Lying in his hand was a tiny sliver of bone.

* * *

**Abandoned Warehouse, 9:30 P.M…**

"Nnngghhh." Kisa let out a low moan as she came to. Feeling extremely light headed and dizzy, she dared not open her eyes. The floor felt cold and hard, like it was made of stone. For a moment, nothing made sense to her. Where was she? What time was it? Why was her stomach throbbing like it had been hit?

_"That's right, I was hit..."_ She recalled being jabbed in the abdomen by a being with an expression that revealed eager madness and an urge to kill her. Gasping as everything that had happened rushed back to her, her eyes flew open.

Her face was pressed up against a brownish stone floor. Beyond that, The Zodiac Tiger could see that she was in a huge room, empty save for a few boxes lying around. The room was brightly lit by the still working overhead lights hanging from the ceiling. Kisa struggled to lift her head and get a grip on her surroundings. Something moved in the corner of her eye, and a pair of feet wrapped in strange, somewhat silky material came into her line of vision.

"Finally awake, now are we?" The legs attached to the feet bent down into a crouching position. Kisa looked up to see Envy looking down at her, an oddly knowing grin plastered on his face. The sight of him terrified Kisa, and she let out a scared squeal as she lunged away from him. Her back hit a stone wall and Envy approached her calmly.

"Calm down." He said in an all-too soothing voice. "I'm not gonna kill you. _Yet_." The Sin added.

"W-w-where is A-Akito-san?" She stuttered. Envy jerked a thumb to where Akito was slumped against the wall close to her, rubbing his head. From where she was, Kisa could see a swelling bump starting to form where Envy had punched him earlier. After regaining his senses, the 'god' glanced up to see The Homunculus playfully waving at him. Akito let out a shocked cry and pressed himself up to Kisa again.

"What…do you want from us?" Akito whispered in a tight voice. Envy sighed in exasperation.

"I told you already." His grin abruptly vanished. "I'm keeping you hostage until that Fullmetal bastard shows up all heroic to try and save your pathetic lives. I'm planning on letting you live so long as he cooperates with me. If he does, I'll guarantee him a painless death at the least and you two can go free. If not, he dies in the most painful way I can give him, and I give you two the painless death he gave up."

"Please don't hurt him!" Kisa protested fearfully. "I-I'll do anyth-" Kisa was cut off when Envy lashed out at her, his hand enveloped in the same bright light as earlier.

Before she knew what was happening, a warm trickle of liquid began running down the side of her face. It was a moment later that a part of her forehead just above her left eye started stinging. Getting over the shock quickly, she noticed Envy had transformed his hand into a small blade, and the end of it dripped with her blood. Moving her eyes from it to his face, The Zodiac Tiger saw that the same insane grin had crept across his face again.

"I don't think that you understand the position you're in." He stood up and changed his hand back, addressing both Zodiac Members. "I can kill you two in an instant, and I never promised that I wou-"

"_ENVY!!!!!_" A voice that Kisa would recognize anywhere rang out through the room, filled to the brim with terrifying fury. The Sin spun around quickly, and both Akito and Kisa let out gasps as they spotted Ed standing there at the large doorway into the room.

The alchemist's face was contorted with an anger that surpassed every single one of his short rants combined. His eyes burned with a fire that nothing could quench. He clutched something tightly in his left hand. Strangely enough, there was an extra piece of metal attached to his fake arm. It looked like a small sword, and it ripped through the sleeve of his black hoodie.

"Onii-kun, you have to leave!" Kisa desperately called out to him. "I don't want him to hurt you!!"

"I don't care if he hurts me or even kills me." Ed said coldly. "I'm not leaving here until I rid the world of this bastard once and for all."

"Really now, did you forget what I wrote in my letter?" Envy looked at him in cool annoyance. "I just want information and these two leave here alive and healthy."

"Like hell I'm gonna tell you anything after you kidnapped these two!!!" Ed retorted furiously.

"I just need you to answer my one, simple question." The Sin began to approach him slowly, and Kisa could see his muscles tense up. He then stopped a few feet later and clenched his hands tightly.

"Where…is…Hohemheim?" He spat out each word in an angry voice, which was more intimidating then when Ed was angry. Both Kisa and Akito were grateful that they could not see the expression on Envy's face.

"He's dead." Ed replied. Even though his face was completely straight, Kisa could see right through the lie. Apparently so could Envy.

"LIAR!!!!" Obviously forgetting all his careful planning, Envy charged forward with impossible speed, changing his arm into a blade again. Ed, caught off guard by The Sin's sudden rush, was pushed backwards when Envy's blade collided against his with a loud clanging sound. The alchemist barely managed to raise his arm to block the blow in time.

The object the Ed was holding earlier was knocked out of his hands. Kisa couldn't see it well since it was so small, but she did glimpse a flash of white flying through the air and landing near one of the boxes scattered around the room.

It must have been important, for Ed became distracted from his fight with Envy and he glanced around desperately trying to find it. His attention was diverted when Envy struck again, this time leaving a thin but long cut along Ed's left cheek. It would have taken his head off had the alchemist not backed away at the last second. Almost immediately it began to bleed profusely.

Ed and Envy continued to slash out at one another, causing Kisa to flinch whenever Envy got close to hitting Ed. She watched them fight for a few minutes in complete terror, fearing the worst to happen to Ed. It was like a dance, in a way, the two keeping up a pattern: Their blades clashing with bright red sparks flying from the friction of the metal, slicing at each other for a moment, neither landing a hit, leaping away and striding around each other in a circle. The cycle would then repeat itself.

The Zodiac Members cried out in shock when Ed did manage to slice open Envy's side. Red liquid began to pour from the wound, staining the stone ground as The Sin screeched in pain. Ed did not let up striking him, though. He slashed out at Envy continuously; creating new wounds that bled even more, until The Homunculus blocked what probably would have been a final blow.

Light began to envelope Envy as soon as Ed dodged away from another slash. Kisa could not believe her eyes: Envy's various cuts were healing at a very fast rate. In the few seconds Ed had before Envy healed, he looked over at Kisa, desperation and fear replacing the savage fury in his topaz eyes.

"_Run!_" He mouthed silently, and turned his attention back to Envy. As soon as he recovered, The Homunculus stood back up and grinned at Ed.

"Did you not forget that it's nearly impossible to kill a homunculus?" He taunted the alchemist. "I may have not been, well, at the top of my game these past 80 years, but I still have the power to heal myself."

"Then I'll just keep ripping those stones out of your body, one by one, until there's nothing left!!!!" With this last word Ed charged at Envy again, even more furious and determined to finish him. The Homunculus retaliated with equal strength. The dance began again.

Kisa tore her gaze away from the two fighting in the center of the room and over to the still open double door. The room was big, but if they moved fast enough…

She wrapped up her plan in an instant and looked at Akito. He was absolutely petrified, his gaze frozen on the battle in front of him, a fearful expression on his face.

"Come on!" Kisa tugged on the sleeve of his kimono, and he glanced back at her slowly. "We have to go!" Her voice must have snapped the Zodiac 'god' out of his horrified trance, for he nodded, and carefully stood up.

It was fortunate for them that Envy was facing the other direction and only Ed noticed them starting to escape. He then occupied himself by assuring that The Sin face the opposite direction as Akito and Kisa made their way out of the huge storage room.

It would have been an interesting sight to behold to anyone else watching. Ed continued to attack Envy in a manner so The Sin would have to keep defending himself. As the Zodiac Members made their way along the wall to the other side of the room, Ed would move slightly to the side so Envy would keep moving to completely face him. Even though it wouldn't be long before Envy noticed that his leverage was gone, it would still give them a chance to run.

Kisa led Akito along the edge of the room to the point where they could make a break for the door. Everyone then froze for second when thunder sounded off. Akito jumped in fear and let out a frightened squeal. The sound was amplified tenfold from echoing off the walls. The Sin immediately turned around to the source of it, and saw that his hostages were escaping. Ed used this moment to lash out at Envy again, driving his makeshift blade though Envy's chest.

By far, the alchemist's most serious wound was a cut that stretched all the way across his forehead, and the crimson liquid leaking out of it dripped down his face and to his chin. Sweat mingled with the blood, and appeared that he was getting near his limit.

Envy knew it as well. He grabbed the sword sticking out of his back, yanked it out with a pained yell, and used the fact that the blade was part of Ed's arm to throw him across the room, not too far from where Kisa and Akito stood frozen. With a triumphant grin, he immediately charged at The Zodiac Members.

In those few moments everything seemed to move in slow motion to Kisa. She grabbed Akito's arm in a tight grip and pulled him along the remaining distance to the door. Glancing back she saw Ed picking himself up and running at them, trying to prevent Envy from reaching them. Said person was sprinting forward, blade held at the ready to stab whichever one was closest.

"Leave them alone!!!" She heard Ed shout. Akito stumbled when The Zodiac Tiger yanked him towards the door. Kisa had reached the door when he fell, and she was just barely outside of the room. She backed away slightly when Envy reached Akito, his sword swung back in preparation to impale The Zodiac 'god'. Ed reached Akito at the exact same moment and threw himself forward. Both Zodiac Members flinched away. Kisa was sure that Akito was going to die.

A sickening sound rang through Kisa's ears: The sound of metal slicing through flesh, and the sound of blood splattering on the cold stone floor.

* * *

**Shigure Sohma's house, 30 minutes ago…**

Tohru could barely stand waiting anymore. It was at least three hours since Akito and Kisa were taken and there was still no report from the Sohma house. For the past 45 minutes she, along with her Zodiac friends had been sitting at the table, staring at anything but each other. She then tried occupying herself by slicing up some fruit, to get the fear off her mind.

When she finished she walked back into the room with a platter of various fruits. The three men looked up at her entry.

"Honda-san, what's this for?" Yuki asked.

"I…thought that you all might be hungry." She said quietly. Kyo smiled at her gently.

"Thank you, Tohru." He replied, and helped himself to a pear slice.

"You're very thoughtful, you know that?" Shigure added. "No use just sitting here and getting depressed."

"It's just so hard waiting." Tohru agreed, tears beginning to form in the corner of her eyes. "I'm so worried for everyone, but I can't do anything."

"I'm sure that everyone's doing all they can to help, Honda-san." Yuki patted her on the back reassuringly. "You are, too."

Trying hard to suppress further sobs, she nodded, managing a slight smile. She then picked up a small amount of fruit and put it on a separate plate.

"I'm going to take a few to Ed-san." She announced. "He might be hungry."

"He's the one taking this the hardest, probably." Shigure commented. "It's pretty obvious how he feels about Satchan."

"I wonder if he realizes it himself, though." Yuki mused. Tohru let a small giggle escape her lips, and started to make her way up to Ed's room.

"Ed-san?" She knocked lightly when she arrived. "I brought you some fruit."

There was no answer.

"Hello?" She called out again, and tried opening the door. It was locked tightly. "Ed-san?!" Panic started to rise in her chest. Did Ed run off to try and find Kisa and Akito?

"Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun, Shigure-san!!" She called down the stairs, unable to keep her fear out of her voice. Almost immediately, they sprinted up the steps.

"Honda-san, what is it?!" The Zodiac Rat looked frightened, thinking something had happened to her.

"I think that Ed-san's gone!" She tried yanking on the door again.

"What?!" Kyo and Yuki shouted simultaneously and hurried to her side.

"That damn idiot!!!" The Cat screeched, and immediately started kicking the door. Strangely, enough, it didn't budge.

"Move over you stupid cat." It was all the warning Kyo got before Yuki lashed out at the door. He blew it off the hinges in one fluid punch. It hit the ground with a solid thud. Calmly, The Rat walked in.

"Elric-san?" He called out. The alchemist was gone, and so was his favorite black sweater. The window was wide open, where the early spring breeze floated gently into the room. A few books were scattered on the floor, and in the dim light from his desk lamp, they could see a few papers with strange markings and translations on it. Kyo immediately raced to the window and looked out, grunting in frustration.

"The stupid moron must've run off looking for Kisa and Akito." Kyo guessed. "What an idiot! I don't think he even knows where to start looking!"

"I'm not too sure about that Kyo." Shigure picked up a paper off the desk and read it over, spotting the address the blonde youth wrote down. "There was indeed a ransom note; we just weren't looking hard enough."

The three teens crowded around Shigure and looked over his shoulder. Yuki immediately recognized the place specified.

"I know that place; it's an old warehouse by the park." The Rat recalled.

"We have to go help him!" Tohru turned heel and hurried back out the door. Kyo let out a disbelieving gasp.

"Wait, Tohru!" He sprinted after her and grabbed her by the shoulder before she reached the stairs. "I'm gonna go help him, but you stay here!"

"But-"

"Honda-san, you need to stay here!" Yuki added, walking over to them. "From what the letter says, this is probably going to be dangerous. I don't want you getting hurt."

"I-I'm sorry, but…I can't stand not knowing…!" Tohru began to cry again. "What if I never see you two again? At least let me help some way! I can try and get Akito-san and Kisa-san to safety."

She looked at them with those pleading, terrified eyes. This struck Kyo hard. What if they never came back? What would happen to Tohru? And what if something happened to Tohru when they left? Was an accomplice watching the house, waiting for them to leave her defenseless?

Shigure, guessing his thoughts, seemed to agree with The Cat. "It might be a good idea to take her with us." The Zodiac Dog mused. "Who knows what might happen if we leave her here alone."

Yuki was completely baffled by this decision, but there was logic in it too. Letting out a shuddering groan, he mumbled in agreement.

"You can come with us Honda-san." Yuki muttered. "But you have to do what we say." The brunette nodded. "If we tell you to stay put, do it. If we tell you to hide, do it. And most importantly, if we tell you to abandon us all and run, you do that."

Tohru looked like she would protest to that, but thought better of it. "Y-yes Yuki-kun…"

The Rat nodded, happy to at least secure her safety, and turn back to Kyo and Shigure.

"It's at least a half-hour away from here, so we better get moving now!"

* * *

**Hanajima House, 9:30 P.M…**

Hana woke up from her peaceful sleep in an ice cold sweat. Tohru's scream had penetrated her dreams, and she woke up from the terror. But like a real-life nightmare, the scream didn't fade with the dream. Hana felt panic overtake every rational thought, for Tohru's inner voice wasn't screaming with pain, but fear.

The psychic leaped from her bed and grabbed her cloak from its hanger, at the same time snatching her cell phone off the dresser and speed dialed Uo's number. Megumi, awoken by his sister frantic thumping, hurried through the door into her room.

"Saki, what is it?" He asked rapidly, not wasting time.

"Tohru-kun's in trouble!" She stated while listening for Uo to pick up.

_"(Yawn)….who is it?"_ Uo's voice drawled groggily.

"Arisa, its Saki!"

"_What the hell are you doing calling me at this hour?" _

"I think Tohru-kun's in some kind of danger!" Hana sprinted down the steps (muttering an apology to her parents, who were looking at her in worry and bewilderment) and out the door, quickly followed by Megumi.

_"Can you tell where she is?"_ Hana heard noise coming over the phone, and it sounded like Uo was running out of her house as well.

"She's moving, but I can track her easily by reading her waves." She responded.

_"Where would we be without you Saki?"_

* * *

**Abandoned Warehouse, 9:45 P.M…**

Kisa stood in the doorway, her face turned away in terror, not even daring to breathe. She didn't want to see anything nor hear anything, because Akito could not have just been killed right there.

The second following the sickening sound of metal penetrating flesh was silent, until a pained groan reached her ears. Fearing the worst, she moved her head to look back and opened her chocolate eyes a little. They flew open a moment later in shock.

Akito was cowering on the floor, covered in blood, but not his own. His eyes were wide with disbelief as he stared at the back of the person who saved his life.

Envy's long, sharp blade was sticking through that back, and blood dripped off the end of that blade and from the hole it made in the alchemist's stomach.

Ed had jumped in front of Akito at the last possible second and had taken the whole blow for the Zodiac 'god'. The Homunculi's blade had hit his stomach and shot right through his back. The alchemist's hands were now struggling to keep the sword from being driven any further into his abdomen. Blood started pouring from the alchemist's mouth, as he struggled to breathe. His eyes, once glowing with gold, began to fade into a pale yellow.

"Onii…kun…?" Kisa whispered in horror. Envy, realizing what Ed had just done, grinned psychotically.

"I simply knew you were going to do that!!" Envy taunted. "Only a fool like you would throw away everything his brother gave for him just like that!!!"

"R-run…" Ed could barely speak, mostly because his blood had begun blocking his windpipe.

"...now that I have you right where I want you, you're going to join your brother!!"

"Run!"

"…and once I'm through with you-"

"DAMN IT, AKITO!!! RUN!!!!" Ed used the last ounce of his strength to twist his head around and yell at Akito.

Ed's voice seemed to have gotten through to him, for The Zodiac 'god' scrambled away over to Kisa, who helped him up, her gaze still fixed on Ed.

"Get out of here-AGGH!!!" The blonde youth's message was cut off when The Sin yanked his arm out of Ed and punched him in the chest, causing more blood to erupt from his wounds.

"Shut up!" Envy demanded. He grabbed him by his braid and began slugging the alchemist repeatedly in the stomach. His arms free, Ed seized The Sin's throat and began strangling him. Positive that Envy was distracted enough, he spit out the rusty tasting liquid that was blocking his windpipe.

"GO!!!" He screamed. "NOW!!!"

Kisa wanted nothing more than to find a way to help him; to save him from this fate of possibly being tortured before he was killed. But her legs were stone solid, and she couldn't move, let alone help. Ed looked like he was fighting to stay conscious and at least make sure that they got out of there OK. He was losing too much blood, and it would surely be his end.

With regretful tears spilling from her eyes, Kisa took hold of Akito's hand and dragged him away, trying not to look back at the scene behind her. Her gaze watched the grounds as she ran, blindingly attempting to get out of the building. Her thoughts were entirely on Ed, and the panic that was making her feet beg to run back to the other room. Before long, her feet carried her to the entrance hall of the building, where a group of people were climbing through the busted door. Four people, to be approximate. They stepped in and immediately spotted The Zodiac Members racing through the other door.

"KISA-SAN!!! AKITO-SAN!!!" Tohru's relieved and worried shriek cut through Kisa's intense shock. She looked up to see Tohru sprinting up to her, jumping over the pieces of metal lying around. The Tiger hardly acknowledged her as the orphaned brunette threw her arms around her and cried. Akito made a beeline for Shigure.

"Shigure!!!" He leaped into The Dog's arms, shaking with fear.

"I'm here now Akito." He whispered soothingly, stroking his hair. "It's OK."

Yuki pulled Kisa away from Tohru and turned her around so he could look at her full in the face. "Kisa, what happened, and where's Elric-san?!"

"You have to help him!" Akito pulled his face away from Shigure's chest and looked at him in worry. "He's hurt, and he's still fighting so we can get away!"

"Onii-kun…" Kisa muttered, tears forming in her eyes again. "He…came here to save us, and he got hurt protecting us!!" She looked at Tohru desperately. "Please help him! I don't want him to die!!"

"I'll take Akito and Satchan to safety!" Shigure told them. "Tohru-kun as well!"

"Wait…I wanna help!" Tohru protested.

"I can't leave Onii-kun!" Kisa cried.

"Tohru, you have to go!" Kyo started to say, but was cut off when an echoing scream of anguish rang through the building. Tohru, completely acting on panic, ran towards the source of it, fear overtaking every single rational thought.

"Honda-san!" Yuki darted after her, with Kisa and Kyo hot on his tail. Shigure stood frozen with Akito clinging to him, staring in the direction they had run off in.

"Shigure…why did he do it?" Akito whispered painfully.

"What?" Shigure looked at him in bewilderment.

"Ed…he…I was about to be killed…but he…defended me and took the blow for me!" Akito lamented. "Why did he do that?! Anyone would've known that they'd be killed from a stunt like that!"

The Zodiac Dog knew the answer, but knew that it be better for Akito to figure it out on his own.

* * *

It had been so simple; a very simple plan. Ed had a plan running through his head the moment the bone sliver had escaped his grip.

First he would help Akito and Kisa escape by distracting The Homunculus. Once they were gone and Envy was fully focused on Ed, he would slice him up enough for him to take a few seconds to heal. The alchemist would then try and find the Homunculi's weakness while he was down. Once Ed had him immobilized, he would finish him.

At least, that was the plan in a nutshell.

Now, lying on the ground in a bloody pulp, every fiber of his body throbbing with agony, he knew that it had been too risky a plan for any of them to get away without serious injury.

He just wanted them to live…live while he died and atoned for everything he had done to Al.

"So are you dead yet?" Envy's mocking voice cut through his pained thoughts, and Ed numbly felt another kick to his stomach. He had lost enough blood to a point where it was nearly impossible to breath. Already his body had gone limp and his senses were fading. He was going to die even if he won the fight. Though the chances of that happening were pretty slim.

"I bet you're wondering how I managed to find you." Envy continued, and even though Ed had his eyes closed and face pressed to the floor, he could tell that The Sin was smiling insanely.

"I can easily guess." Ed mumbled with all his hatred of Homunculi forced into his voice. "You saw me out somewhere, followed me for a bit, and planned a way to kill me."

"Precisely." Envy clapped his hands tauntingly. "I saw you out at that theme park the other day, and stalked you around. I wasn't sure if you were a descendent of your double on this side of The Gate, but I knew it was you right after your arm was exposed." He stomped on the fake metal appendage, yet to be broken. "I was going to let you die painlessly if you answered my question, but now I'll have to torture the answer out of you."

Envy immediately grabbed Ed's flesh leg and popped it out of its socket. A fiery pain shot through the teenage alchemist's body, making him cry out as loudly as his lungs would let him.

"WHERE IS HOHEMHEIM?!?!?!" Envy screamed, throwing the leg back down to the floor. "WHERE IS THAT BASTARD?!?!?!?!"

"HE'S DEAD!!!" The alchemist replied through gritted teeth.

"I've been chasing that man for eighty years!!! I would have known if he died!!!!" Envy sent another blow to Ed's stomach, this time sending him flying into a box lying on the floor. As the crate shattered from his impact, Ed felt thousands of tiny splinters poke through his body, drawing out what little blood he had left in his system.

"For eighty years since I came through The Gate, I've been chasing him across the entire world, by the time I'd figure out where he'd be living, he'd have jumped to another continent." Envy muttered murderously. "For someone renowned around the world, he'd always avoid everyone who tried to put his name down somewhere."

_'So basically they won't leave me alone and I'm forced to avoid my house.'_

_'Dad's back from his trip, but for some reason, he doesn't want to stay at his place. He called me two days ago, and asked if we could celebrate New Year's Day somewhere else. I didn't quite get what he said after that, but he said something about wanting to avoid news reporters. Apparently it had something to do with his recent breakthrough on mechanical arms.'_

"I don't think he told you that he suspected I was alive, otherwise you'd have been more prepared for this." The Sin muttered to himself, then laughed and addressed Ed again. "Maybe he was too afraid that you'd already known I was once his son. He was too ashamed to face me, always managing to avoid me no matter how hard I tried!"

"And now I finally have a lead." Envy continued. "So tell me where he is and I'll ease your passing!"

_"I have to stay alive longer! Give them a chance to escape and find help!"_ Ed thought desperately, still amazed that he was alive. Already he had suffered from a stab wound in the stomach, multiple scratches and cuts, a dislocated leg, loss of most of his blood, and several bruises. Vaguely he guessed it was sheer willpower keeping him alive.

"What the hell?!"

"Ed-san!!!!!"

The voices of Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo penetrated his ears, making him freeze up with terror.

_"No! Not them too...!"_

The alchemist managed to open his eyes, and looked over the wreckage of the crate he was laying in. There they stood in the double doorway, Tohru and Kisa cowering behind Kyo and Yuki, who were just inside the room and staring at Envy, poised to fight.

Envy looked up at them from Ed when they entered, and sighed in annoyance.

"Aw great, more witnesses." He said in exasperation, and changing his arm into a sword. "Oh well, good thing I'm flexible."

"What the hell are you?!" Kyo yelled at him.

"My name is Envy." He said with a slightly regal air around him. "I am a Homunculus, an immortal being made by alchemy, that was created by Hohemheim four hundred years ago." The Sin shrugged. "Not that it matters if I tell you that. I might as well ki-"

The Homunculus was cut off when Ed lashed out with his metal arm, his blade still intact, and sliced Envy's feet off above the ankles. He screamed as he fell to the floor. His legs fixed themselves in an instant, though.

"Honda-san, Kisa, get away from here!!!" Yuki commanded, but from what Ed could see, that was not possible. They stood petrified, their eyes fixed on the scene before them. Running looked like the last thing on their minds right now.

"Is that honestly the best you can do?" The Sin scolded Ed after getting back up and lifting Ed up by his braid. "You're pathetic. Even after your brother was kind enough to give you your arm and leg back, you go and lose them _again_!"

"What?" Kisa whispered. Envy, with his keen hearing, picked that up. And after a moment of silence, began snickering. The insane noise rose until it echoed loudly off the walls, making it sound like there were more of them in the room. The Zodiac Members and Tohru stared at him as though he was crazy. He ceased a minute later.

"So you have not told them yet?" Envy sarcastically asked the half-dead alchemist, shaking him by the braid, and then turned back to the others. "Very well, then. Why don't I tell you a bedtime story before I turn out the lights on all of you?"

Ed had known that this moment was coming from day one. He had just never really thought about it much. He had to stop him.

"Once upon a time-"

"Shut up, Envy!" Ed commanded him vainly, his gaze on the floor. The protest earned him another knee jab to the stomach, and The Sin dropped him on the ground. As his face hit the floor and he gasp for what little breath he could take in, he spotted a familiar gleam of white just about three-and-a-half away from him. He began moving his limp flesh arm to reach for it.

"-there lived two adorable boys with their mother in a small country town." Envy continued, as if there was no interruption. "But one day, their mother passed away some time after the boy's father left them. Now the boys were geniuses, and very skilled at alchemy, so they got this so-called brilliant plan in their heads."

"Where are you going with this?!" The Zodiac Rat asked in confusion.

"I'm telling you a story, and it's rude to interrupt." Envy added, and kept going, not noticing that Ed was reaching for his one weakness. "The two little boys thought they knew everything, and…well…they attempted the most taboo of alchemy; human transmutation, and tried to bring their dead mother back to life, not knowing what it would cost him." He leaned down a seized Ed's metal leg, ignoring the shocked cries of the people standing in the doorway.

"The older brother lost his left leg." He yanked it up with those last two words. "And the younger brother got the worst of the rebound, for he lost his entire body."

"Wha…" Tohru squealed softly.

"In complete desperation, the older brother sacrificed his right arm," He pulled up Ed's fake arm. "To pin his brother's soul to a suit of armor in the corner; a body that couldn't cry, eat, feel, or even sleep." The orphaned brunette gasped loudly.

"After going through surgery to have a metal arm and leg called automail, the two brothers set out to find a way to get their bodies back. They burned down their own home and never turned back. The older brother joined the military as their attack dog in order to get the power he needed to do research." Silence followed his speech, and Envy grinned even wider, enjoying the effect it was having on the Sohma's and Tohru. Their bodies were tense and their eyes wide with disbelief.

"For four years they searched for an item called the Philosophers Stone. At the same time, they began uncovering a secret organization running the country's military, and they set out to stop it. After a series of dangerous circumstances, the younger brother's metal body was turned into the Philosophers Stone itself as it was being created. When the two boys set out to stop the organization, the older brother was killed when he let his guard down." The Homunculus began laughing maniacally again, and kept it up for a little while longer.

"I loved it!!!" Envy wiped a tear from his eye and glared at Ed (still keeping his gaze away from the others) in giddiness. "I loved it when I finally managed to kill you!!! The light of life leaving your eyes and hearing your brother's screams when I ended your pathetic existence; I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT!!!" His voice rose hysterically, causing Tohru and Kisa to involuntarily step backwards.

"I have so much to thank Al for; bringing you back to life was brilliant!" Envy finished. "Now I have the pleasure of killing you twice!"

"You expect us to believe that?!" Kyo shouted angrily, and resumed his attack position. "Why the hell should we-"

"It's true. All of it."

Everyone looked at Ed in complete surprise, not that he noticed. He hadn't spoken since Envy shut him up violently.

"All of it is true. Every word." His voice was weak, but The Zodiac Members and the orphan could still hear him clearly. "I did the most sickening thing known to humankind because I was a stupid, foolish bastard. I was punished for trying to play god; I dragged my brother into it, and he suffered because of me. He died because of me!"

It was over, all over. They now knew why he considered himself a being lower than The Cat. Ed felt as though his soul had been ripped open and everyone could see how filthy, twisted and battered it was. He saw himself as a lowlife who deserved to be punished.

And what better way to add to his punishment than dying with his caretakers and friends hating him for it? To hate the memory of him and his existence?

"I never thought I'd hear that coming from you, FullMetal." Envy said, slightly surprised. "Oh well, might as well kill them while you watch-" Envy's calm composure was broken again when Ed lashed out at him for the second time. This time around, The Homunculus froze stiff, not moving, a shocked expression on his face.

The alchemist had successfully grabbed the almost out of reach bone sliver, and stabbed it into Envy's leg. Ed felt anger fuel him, lending him strength for the final blow.

"Good old Dad was kind enough to give me this." Ed explained to the now terrified Homunculus, who was shaking violently. "It's your remains from four hundred years ago, when you were still human." The blond youth picked himself up off the ground, trembling from effort, and faced Envy. He could no longer feel any pain, nor any other emotion. His dislocated leg was no longer bothering him, for some reason, though he guessed that part of his nervous system was shutting down.

With a scream to match a warrior's battle cry, he pierced The Homunculi's torso with the makeshift blade on his arm. Blood spilled out like a fountain from Envy's pale skin.

"See you in hell soon, Envy." Ed told him as he twisted the blade inside the Homunculi's chest. A moment later The Sin began to melt into red water. Ed didn't move until there was nothing left at all but a puddle.

Feeling more exhausted and drained than he ever had felt in his whole life, Ed just managed to turn his head over to the others. They stood there gaping at him, completely dumbfounded, clearly trying to grasp what had just happened. But otherwise, they were unharmed.

_"They're…safe…"_ He thought, relief causing his flesh leg to give way, along with his metal one. _"Thank God…"_

The floor rose up to meet his cheek, but Ed didn't feel the pain from colliding with it. His entire body was going numb, and a soft black tide was rising to obscure his vision. He was dying; he would finally pay for everything he had done to Al.

He could finally be at peace…

All sense of awareness began to vanish as his sight began to fail. But before that, a terrible shriek reached his ears.

"Onii-kun!!! _ONII-KUN_!!!!" Ed heard the rapid pitter-patter of feet as The Tiger ran up to him and rolled him over onto his back. More voices hit his ears.

"Kyo, call an ambulance!!!"

"Right!!"

"Ed-san!!!"

Struggling to keep his lungs working, a soft, gentle scent drifted into his nose, granting him a slight bit of strength. His vision came back after smelling the lovely lilac aroma that emitted from Kisa. He saw four faces peering down at him, all of them wearing similar expressions: worried and panicked. His eyes were for one face, though.

"Onii-kun?" The Tiger whispered softly. Suddenly, it didn't matter that she knew all the horrible things he did. What matters was that she was alive. He managed a small smile.

"I'm so…glad you're all…safe" He told them, and then sighed. "…I'm…sorry…" He mumbled.

"For what?" He heard Yuki ask.

"For putting you…all of you…in danger…I'm so sorry…"

"Don't talk; you need to save your strength." Tohru shushed him, her voice shaking with terror.

"It's all…OK…" Ed felt water splash on his face, and then glanced back up at Kisa, who had laid him gently onto her lap and was cradling his head. She was crying. But even with their deep chocolate pools stained with tears, her eyes were still soothing and beautiful. That is, until he noticed the small stream of dried blood that had trickled down her face. His eyes wandered to the small cut, and guilt made his stomach burn.

"Damn it…" he muttered, reaching up with his fake arm and softly caressing the tiny wound on her forehead. "…he…hurt…you…"

"But…Onii-kun, you're hurt too…" She protested. The Tiger grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly, and Ed lowered it to her cheek, cupping it in his palm.

"…I'm OK…" He replied. Already his sense of feeling was gone, and everything that did touch him felt cold.

"You're not OK!!! Don't say that, please!!!" She begged him, shutting her eyes tightly to stop the flow of tears. The alchemist moved his thumb across her cheek, wiping them off and inhaling her flowery scent one last time.

"You…smell nice…" He whispered. The alchemist thought he heard the pitter-patter of rain begin to splat on the roof above, but then it disappeared.

This wasn't like the last time he had died. Last time, it all ended in a jolt of terror and regret, with a red flash crossing his vision, then everything went black. This time, there was a feeling of ease and satisfaction.

His sense of smell, taste, and hearing vanished, leaving sight intact for a few more seconds. He spent that time focusing on The Zodiac Tigers face. Had he ever taken the time to truly appreciate the flawlessness of her skin and the sweet peachy color of it? The shape of her eyes, her face, and her mouth all came together smoothly and perfectly to form this beautiful creature. Her eyes were locked with his, fearful and begging him not to leave.

If it wasn't failing him now, his heart would have stopped from the usual red hot feeling that would cross his face whenever he looked at her. He wished his body could manage one final blush before it shut down forever.

_"But it's all OK now."_ He thought as his focus on Kisa faded. _"I don't care if they all hate me. I don't care if I go to hell. I deserve this punishment. Besides, this is more than I would have asked for. I could never have wished for a better death."_ The world faded, and the FullMetal Alchemist let himself fall into Death's icy embrace. _"I get to die…in the arms of the girl I love…"_

* * *

**Outside the Abandoned Warehouse, 10:00 P.M…**

"I'm certain she's up ahead!" Hana was out of breath, and her body was shaking with fear for Tohru.

"How…can you…keep running like this?!" Uo panted behind her, sweating profusely, m, though she would have already been wet from the pouring rain. Megumi (hot on Hana's tail) answered with a slight grin.

"When Saki sets her mind on something, she doesn't stop until it's completed." He explained.

"Sometimes, you two scare me." The Yankee commented, and then froze when she saw flashing red and blue lights on around a street, shining on a building through the sheets of rain falling from the overhead clouds. Both the psychic and her brother stopped as well.

"Tohru-kun…" Hana whispered with terror. Automatically she continued running, faster than before. Uo just barely caught up with her when they rounded the corner and Hana stopped again.

"What the hell?" Uo muttered to no one. The scene in front of them was quite chaotic. Five police cars were lined up along the side, and Uo recognized Shigure rapidly talking to a police officer, who appeared to be bombarding him with questions. Yuki and Kyo where just behind him, looking worried as well. Two ambulances were there as well.

Hana had her eyes set on Tohru, close by an ambulance, being checked over by a paramedic. A small girl with tawny brown hair stood beside her, tears pouring down her face that mingled with the rain.

"Tohru-kun!!!" Hana screamed, and ran straight up to her, throwing her arms around her.

"Hana…chan?" Tohru said in complete surprise. "Wha…what are you doing here?"

"Hey, this is a police zone." An officer walked up to them. "Civilians should not be here right now."

"I'll leave when I make sure my best friend is OK!!" Uo retorted to him and added herself to Tohru's 'hug pile'. Megumi walked up and clutched Tohru's hand tightly.

"What happened, Tohru-san?" He demanded in a comforting voice. "Saki heard your voice a while ago. What's happening?"

"I…I don't know…" Tohru stuttered, she was crying as well. "I'm just…so confused right now…"

"Onee-chan," The tawny haired Sohma tugged on Tohru's skirt. "What's going to happen to Onii-kun?" She asked with complete fear in her voice.

"Hanajima-san? Uotani-san?" Yuki and Kyo walked up to them and stared at the five with surprise."What are two doing here?"

"Tohru-kun was in danger, wasn't she?!" Hana scolded them, her voice rising. "I could hear her screaming! Tell me now!"

"H-Hana-chan…I'm OK." At that moment a paramedic hurried over with Shigure and a black haired man in a household kimono, barefoot. He ushered the other man into the car and turned to Kisa.

"Were taking you both to the hospital and having you checked out." He told her. "Get in the car."

"But…Onii-kun…is he OK?"The girl asked desperately. The man gestured over to the entrance of the warehouse.

"I can't make any promises about him." He muttered grimly.

Five paramedics were running over to the second car with a stretcher, rapidly tending to someone. He had an oxygen mask attached to his face, and blood stained his clothes and skin. Upon reaching the car, Hana gasped out loud as she recognized him.

It was the blonde boy from the cultural festival, the one with a agonized voice. It sounded much clearer to Hana now, and wasn't so deeply buried. The paramedics pushed the stretcher into the car and drove off with the sirens blaring. Kisa, still staring after the wailing ambulance, quickly jumped into the front of the car where Akito was. The man followed in after her and drove away, leaving the five teens and the middle schooler standing out in the rain. Shigure walked over, rubbing his face worriedly.

"They bought my story." He muttered in slight relief. The cops had driven away as well. It was silent except for the splatter of rain; that was now soaking everyone to the bone.

"…he's still alive." The psychic announced, judging by the fact that the voice hadn't faded away.

"How can you tell?" Kyo asked, clearly desperate to know.

"His inner voice is still screaming, just like before." She shook her rain-soaked bangs out of her and glared at Tohru. "I'm not turning my head away from this Tohru-kun. Something terrible happened, and I want to know everything."

The residents of Shigure's house tensed up, looking at Uo, Hana, and Megumi apprehensively. Hana did not let up her glare. Finally, Tohru sighed.

"Can…we all…go back to Shigure-san's house?" She asked quietly. "We'll talk there."

"What's wrong with here?" Uo pressed, her voice hard.

"Arisa, please remember that it's raining." Megumi reminded her.

"It's not that Megumi-san." Tohru protested weakly. All the Sohma men had dark looks on their faces, and were seemed nervous, like a huge secret was about to come out. The orphaned brunette glanced over at them, and when they all nodded reluctantly.

"I just don't know where to begin…"

* * *

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Can't say no one saw that one coming…

_**Envy:**_ WHAT!?!? I ONLY GET ONE FREAKIN' CHAPTER AND THEN I DIE?!?!

_**Tohru:**_ Sorry, Envy-san.

_**Ed:**_ Be thankful! Al hasn't even gotten any actual dialogue yet!!

_**Al: **_*sighs*

_**Kisa:**_ Umm….you did kinda appear as Kureno-oji-chan in the last chapter.

_**Envy:**_ Well, yeah…

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ School started this week, so I won't be able to update as often. Since I'm going to be a junior now, I might have more homework then before. I'll try my hardest, though. Oh well, R&R please, and try not to flame me so harshly if you don't like me for some reason. I'm 'gonna have my hands full soon. And just as a recommendation, I would highly suggest that you all go see Ponyo (Hayao Miyazaki-sensei's latest film) in theaters if you have time…………PONYO!!!!!!!! HURRAY!!!!!!! *Fan-girl joy* ^-^ See you all next time!!


	11. The Most Foolish Traveler

_**Authors Notes:**_ Wow…over 4,000 hits and at least 100 reviews in just 10 chapters………I FEEL SO LOVED!!! WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! *sniff* All of you are such wonderful people!!!! I love every single one of you!! That's why I have to work my hardest to make this a story that even when it's over, people will want to read it again and again! I think that the last chapter was the one that got the most attention so far. Almost every review for the chapter used the following terms: omg, oh my god, freakin', and love. LOL!! ^_- Thanks again for being such awesome and patient readers, now back to the story!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. The scenes that go in sync with the Fruits Basket manga also belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei. Everything else mentioned belongs to their rightful creators and owners. Plot belongs to me.

_**Inspiration for this chapter:**_ Eternal Snow from the Full Moon O Sagashite soundtrack, My Sanctuary by Utada Hikaru, Easier to Run by Linkin Park, Angel by Sarah McLachlan, Skytown from Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Bratja (English version) by Vic Mignogna, and For Fruits Basket (English Version) by Laura Bailey.

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Chapter 11

The Foolish Traveler

**Shigure Sohma's House, 11:30 P.M…**

"They're both fine. Satchan has a scratch on her head and Akito looks like he was punched in the head, but other than that, they'll be released from the hospital tomorrow morning so long as they keep those bandages on."

"What about Ed-san?" Tohru gazed up desperately at Shigure from the table. He had just gotten off the phone with Hatori. "Is he OK?!"

Yuki, Kyo, Uo, Hana, Megumi and the orphaned brunette herself were all sitting around the table. It was dead silent, and Tohru's friends were willing to wait for explanations after the others received news. The two Zodiac Members felt pressure and frustration emitting from Uo and Hana's glares, and were thankful when Shigure broke the silence.

Hatori apparently had rushed to the hospital to make sure Akito didn't freak out around strangers, but the Zodiac 'god' didn't seem all that worried about staying in a hospital overnight for some reason. Hatori stayed with him for at least an hour, making sure he remained calm until he fell asleep, and left when he learned of Ed's condition. The Zodiac Dragon called Shigure from the hospital. Now everyone was nervously awaiting his news. The Dog rubbed his forehead in apparent relief.

"He's alive and stable." He told them. "They brought him back from the brink of death, and there's a possibility he might fall into a coma for a while, but he will live. Kyo, if you had waited an extra minute to call an ambulance, he would have died before he reached the hospital." The Zodiac Cat let out a very audible, shuddering "phew".

"What did you tell the police?" Yuki asked, warily glancing at the psychic sitting next to Tohru protectively.

"I told them that some thugs attacked Satchan and Akito, and that Ed-kun got hurt fighting them off." He explained. "That's why they took off; I gave them false leads."

"But that's not what really happened, is it?" Uo glared up at Shigure, and her voice rose. "There's something else going on, and if it puts Tohru in danger, then I want to know about it!!"

"I'd tell her if I were you." Megumi suggested, his voice growing dark. "Besides, you wouldn't want a curse befalling you before your final exams, now would you?" The air surrounding him suddenly chilled, causing the three Zodiac Members to shiver and back away slightly.

"N-no…" Yuki shuddered, and then sighed. "But it's kind of hard to explain. We've had a rough time these past few hours, so we're a little confused about some things."

"I can explain what we know right now." Tohru piped up quietly. "I thought about what I was going to say while we were on our way over here." She looked at the three Zodiac Members. "You three should go to bed, I'll talk them."

"No Tohru." Kyo protested sternly. "This concerns us as much as it concerns you. I'm staying up with you."

"I am too." Yuki agreed.

"Same here." Shigure sat back down at the table. "We have a lot to tell you three, but it's up to you whether to believe us or not. I couldn't believe it when I first heard it."

"Try me." Uo challenged.

"Tohru-kun," Hana said soothingly. "You know that you can tell us anything." The orphaned girl began fidgeting.

"I know that Hana-chan, it's just…" Tohru looked to the ground, trying to find the right words. Scenes from the past began to flash before her eyes.

'_It's true. All of it.'_

'_I just don't want to see you so hurt.'_

'_It's not like I'm 'gonna disappear forever.'_

'_The very least I can do to make it up to you is get you something nice.'_

'_After that, she jumped at me, transformed, and asked me to take her to you, Tohru.'_

'_You were there for your mother, I know you were, and she was able to find reasons to keep living, so maybe what you did was a good thing.'_

'_And I'll help you break the curse in any way I can. Equivalent Exchange.'_

'_Thanks for the food.'_

'_That's right, but you can just call me Ed.'_

'_AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!' Her final memory was of Ed lying on the ground in a dark and rainy forest, screaming as blood gushed out from where he had lost his limbs._

"Tohru-kun?" Hana's voice broke through her flashbacks. "Are you going to tell me?" The brunette was quiet, then nodded.

"I will Hana-chan…I just…" She trailed off again, with her gaze dropping back to the floor. When she looked back up at her friends, they could see tears in her eyes.

"…I don't know how to start…I'm just so…confused…"

"Then start with the beginning," Megumi placed his hand over hers reassuringly. "And end at the end." The Cat emitted a sigh.

"That day…does kind of sound like a good place to start." Kyo muttered.

"Well then, start there." Uo encouraged them with a smile. "We'll listen." Tohru managed a smile herself.

"Thank you…"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**Hospital, 11:30 P.M…**

"You poor thing." The nurse said gently to Kisa after applying disinfectant to the cut above her eye. "Being attacked by thugs and getting a scratch like that must have been terrifying." Kisa started fidgeting on her hospital bed, anxiously awaiting news about the blonde youth who had been ready to die for her.

The Tiger didn't respond. Her thoughts were for Ed, and what he was willing to give up for all of them. She was desperate to know if he was OK. Guilt ran through her as she remembered how helpless she had been to help Ed, and the grief that had washed over her as the alchemist lay dying in her arms.

Again, Envy's story of Ed's past reeled through her head. The hotheaded alchemist would have denied it if he knew he was going to live. But he knew he was dying, and he told them what he had done like he had no fear or regrets from dying; like he was just eager to die…

"…and when you wake up tomorrow morning, we'll check on your cut and send you on your way." The nurse continued as if not noticing the pained and confused expression that had crossed the Zodiac Members face. She wrapped the final bandage on Kisa's head and stood up.

"Huh?" Kisa started, and then nodded hastily. "Umm…OK…"

"You get some sleep, all right?" She patted Kisa on the head, and then turned to leave her be.

"W-wait!" The tawny-haired girl called. "What about Onii-kun?! Is he OK?!"

"You mean the blonde kid, right?" She guessed, and smiled at The Tiger softly. "He's doing fine, though he won't be able to leave the hospital for a month at the least. Elric-san is currently asleep, so give him some time to rest. Surviving a hole punched through his stomach and extreme blood loss is quite a feat, and it will take quite a bit of time for him to heal. He's very fortunate that no organs were damaged." And with that, the nurse left.

Kisa changed slowly into a pair of scrubs and climbed into bed, switching off the overhead light. She curled up under her blanket and stared out the window, listening to the rain that was hitting it. A glow from the outside street lamp illuminated the water droplets with an orange glow. For a while she simply lay there under the soft sheets, thinking to herself.

When Envy had revealed her 'big brothers' past life, her eyes were for Ed only. She shuddered at the memory of him in a complete bloody mess, barely alive. And when he admitted to those things, it wasn't the fact that he didn't deny it that scared Kisa: it was the anguish that was in his voice as he admitted it.

Kisa had always thought of Ed as a person who could be strong and keep walking no matter what came his way. She admired that strength in him, and that's why she was able to get over the worst of the death of her parents. But the pain that seemed to overwhelm him in those few moments back the warehouse would have left him as nothing more than a hollow shell had he not been thinking that he was dying.

The alchemist had been suffering from those memories for who knows how long, and possibly it was leeching away at his will to live. The Tiger felt her eyes burn with sympathy. He had been hurting for so long with his friends only seeing a slight bit of it, and had gone to great lengths to hide that past. And now that everyone else knew what he had done, he would think that they would come visit him here at the hospital and ask him about it.

If he woke up alone and alive, and with the fear that he would have to face her and her friends with them knowing about his past, he might…

"_NO!!" _Kisa thought, bolting upright as the last two words crossed her thoughts. _"He can't do that!!"_

Scrambling out of bed and sliding into her slippers, Kisa scurried to her door as silently as possible and opened it. The hallways seemed like they were empty for the moment, and most of the lights were out. There was nobody to stop her from finding Ed's room.

The Zodiac Tiger softly closed the door and hurried down the corridor quietly. She would check around her ward first. Even though it was unlikely he was going to be awake at this time, she couldn't shake off the terror in her gut. Somehow she just knew that he was going to wake up soon, and when he did, who knows what he might do to himself once he realized he was still alive.

Kisa didn't know how long her searching would take, but she had to find him. Find him and stop him.

Before he killed himself as punishment…

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_A deep black surrounded Ed on all sides. It was completely silent, and the alchemist was having a weird feeling of…non-existence. It was like he didn't have a body, and his soul was just tumbling along in limbo, missing all the senses._

_Then, as luck would have it, the entire place turned white The Gate appeared in the distance. Ed suddenly felt his body materialize out of nowhere and nothing, and nearly fell over from the sudden rush of awareness. Picking himself up off the floor, he looked over to The Gate, and immediately knew what he needed to do, because that was why he had appeared here, right?_

_The alchemist began walking towards the giant stone door, feeling at ease, unlike every other time he had come here unbidden. It was his time to go, after all. As he casually put his hands in his pockets, Ed realized that he could feel the fabric against his right hand. He looked down at his arms and found that his previous metal one was now flesh. Rejoicing in the feeling of actually having a right arm, Ed smiled slightly, and checked out his left leg. After confirming that it was restored as well, Ed shifted into a jog to get to The Gate quicker._

_"Back again, are we?" The booming voice of The Gate rang through his ears, and the young alchemist slowed down to a brisk walk._

_"Yup." He responded simply. "It's my time to die, so go ahead and take me to hell or wherever I'm supposed to be."_

_"I'm afraid I can't do that." It told him._

_"What are you talking about?" Ed raised an eyebrow as he reached the steps leading to the stone door. "I died, so naturally, I go to wherever you're supposed to take me."_

_"Well, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you're not dead. So go away and return to the living world." The Gate suddenly moved away from him, and the background turned black again._

"_Hey! Get back here, you bastard!!" Ed suddenly felt his abdomen begin to blaze with pain, causing him to cry out. It spread through the rest of his torso, up his arms and down his legs. He felt like he was on fire as every square inch of his body throbbed with ache._

_"What's going on!?"_ A continuous beeping noise suddenly penetrated Ed's hearing. His senses were strangely disorientated, like they were trying to figure out how they worked. Slowly, feeling returned to his body after a sensation of nothingness overcame the pain. He felt pain all over his body, particularly where he had been stabbed. He felt that his head was resting on a soft pillow, and heavy blankets lay over his body. Something was covering his mouth, and a strange whooshing noise was coming from it. The sound was timed with his own breathing.

After figuring out what muscles moved his eyelids, he opened them and, after the blurriness cleared, found himself staring at a ceiling. It was very dark, but he could see a little. A soft orange glow seemed to come from somewhere to his left. He shifted his head, wincing from the sudden throbbing, and looked out the window next to his bed. Water streaked the glass, making the harsh light out by the street appear distorted. The soft sound of falling rain was constant.

His flesh arm was covered in bandages, as well as the rest of his body. The area were skin was exposed had an IV sticking there, the tube filled with a thick, bright red liquid, probably to replenish the blood he had lost. And his prosthetic arm had lost the makeshift blade he had made out of scrap metal at the entrance to the warehouse. It might have fallen off after he stabbed Envy in the chest.

…Envy…everything came rushing back to him.

"_Crap…I'm alive…"_

They knew. They knew everything. Ed had admitted it himself to them, before he defeated Envy, wanting them to hate the memory of him after he passed on, and add more to his punishment. And now they would all come and ask to him about it, wanting their curiosity satisfied, just like everyone else he had come across these past years.

All the people that had discovered the sins of Ed and his younger brother had peppered them with questions and demanded explanations. They all were angered, disappointed, or disgusted by the two brothers who had committed the most taboo of crimes. And Ed would stare at them back defiantly, determined to right what he had done wrong.

Each time he and Al were pitted up against some criminal or alchemic nutcase and they guessed the sins they committed, Ed would always feel stronger and braver. He was the one who had survived the rebound of the failed transmutation, and he was determined to prove fearlessly to them that he was going to fix it all.

The thought of facing Tohru, Yuki, Kyo, and Kisa with them knowing about his past absolutely terrified him.

"_I can't…do it…"_ He thought dejectedly while his chest clenched up with fear. _"I don't want to see their faces. I don't want them…to look at me like that…"_

He didn't want to see the expressions of disgust and anger on their faces. He couldn't imagine it, but it would only hurt more when he saw it in reality. Everything was over. The alchemist had secretly hoped that he could start over here on this side of The Gate, and have a clean slate. Make new friends and try to escape his past.

"_But life is too cruel allow me that."_ Anger at himself for everything that had happened to Al built up inside his mind after being held back for so long. It was _his_ idea to try and bring their mother back, and it was _his_ idea to put his brother into a lifeless entity. And all that had gone up in flames.

Even when he found new friends, who were willing to take care of him and put up with his crap, he couldn't even hide his sins from them. Everything had been taken from him in one night, and right after things had been going so well. There was nothing left to take away from the blonde youth except his life.

And he was perfectly willing to give that away without a second thought.

"_I'll make sure that stupid Gate sends me to hell this time."_ He decided determinedly, staring blankly at the ceiling now, and getting annoyed by the oxygen mask strapped over his mouth. "_I'm not leaving this hospital alive."_

After making this decision, the teenage alchemist glanced back out the window again. He guessed that this building was at least ten floors high, and that was good enough for him. It would be a simple matter to find a staircase, climb to the top, and jump off the roof. He wondered if they would all miss him when he was gone, or just be glad that the world was rid of a despicable creature like himself.

He began an attempt to sit up, but fell back again with a grunt of pain. His body throbbed painfully like his heartbeat, which was in time with the beeping noise coming from beside him. He glanced over to his right and spotted some kind of machine registering the beating of his still-working heart. It had a few cords attached to it that lead up to his chest and was suctioned on firmly.

With nothing else to do, he lay there and waited for his strength to return. He then could get up, climb a staircase to the roof and fall to his death. In all honesty, he was amazed that he was already awake, because anybody who had been through a torture like that wouldn't wake up for a few days. Maybe The Gate woke him up this soon so he would feel agonized, and actually kill himself so it could take back what had slipped away from it so many times before…

"_Please…just let me die…"_ Angry at his near inability to even move, Ed felt impatience start to make him twitch involuntarily. He recognized it as a longing to end his suffering. Suddenly, the sound of a door opening diverted his attention away from his tormented thoughts.

"Onii-kun?" A painfully familiar voice drifted through the door and into his ear. Ed, completely caught off guard, immediately jerked his head away from the source of the sound and focused stubbornly on a small water droplet on the outside part of the window.

Fear began to creep up his chest. He didn't want to look at the girl he cared so much for; he didn't want to see her pained expression. Kisa, obviously seeing that he was awake, quietly walked up to him. He heard her emit a small sigh.

"How are you feeling?" She asked. Ed refused to answer her. Maybe if he pushed her away from him, she would leave him be to die…

"Do you…mind if I sit down?" She continued, her voice a little lower in volume. Though Ed couldn't see her, he guessed that she gestured to the chair by the side of his bed. The alchemist let out an almost silent moan. A small part of him longed to throw his arms around her, bury his face into her sweet smelling hair (or fur, after she transformed from the embrace), and forget all the crap that had happened in the past few hours. But the part that wanted his life to end as soon as possible was still winning the war in his soul.

A small scuffling noise indicated that The Zodiac Tiger had plopped down in the cushy chair. It was quiet for a moment, the only noises the beeping of the heart monitor and the amplified sound of the blonde youth's breathing. Ed stared defiantly out the window. He could see Kisa's reflection in it vaguely, and she was looking at his reflection in the glass as well. Finally, after a few minutes, Kisa let out a soft, frightened noise.

"Onii-kun, please don't shut me out!" She begged him, her voice filled with tears. Just the sound of it made Ed's throat swell up. He shut his eyes determinedly and continued ignoring her. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and Ed could no longer avoid acknowledging her.

"…what do you want?" His voice came through the plastic mask as a low growl. "Come to laugh at me?"

"No! Nothing like that!" Kisa protested. "I was so worried about you that I couldn't stay away!"

"Liar." Ed hated it; sounding so cold to her after everything she had done for him. But he needed her to be away from him, so she wouldn't have to see him end his own existence. "You're here because you want to know about what Envy said."

The Zodiac Member let a sigh escape from her lips, and from the reflection in the window, Ed could see her glance away, from what he guessed was guilt. Anger coursed through him suddenly, fueling his strength. He sat upright, every fiber of his body screaming in protest, and swiveled around to glare at her, tearing off the oxygen mask as he did so. She flinched under his hard gaze, her brown eyes flying wide open with fear.

"Well, it's all true." He muttered darkly. "Everything he said is the truth. I kept it from you all because it's a sickening and disgusting part of my life. I stepped on the toes of 'god' and paid the price." The beeping grew faster on the monitor.

"I lost my leg when I attempted the most depraved and despised kind of alchemy there is in existence: a human transmutation. I dragged my brother into it, thinking that we were the ones who could do what everyone had failed at, bring a dead human back to life, and he lost his entire body in the process. I attached his soul to a suit of armor at the last minute for the price of my right arm: A body that couldn't eat, or sleep, or cry, or even feel!"

That was what probably hurt Alphonse the most: his loss of feeling. He couldn't feel the fur of the cats he would often pet and hide in his metal body. He couldn't enjoy a gentle breeze sweeping across his face. He couldn't laugh joyfully when an ocean wave sprayed him with cool water. Ed had caused that suffering, and deserved punishment.

Ed tore his gaze away from the horrified expression on Kisa's face, unable to stand it any longer. It just made his heart wretch. He stared blankly at his legs. "The side effect of a human transmutation is the birth of a Homunculus; a living doll without a soul. It closely resembles the person you were trying to bring back to life." The annoying sound coming from the heart monitor drove Ed off the deep end. He lashed out with his still working fake arm and slammed his tightly clenched fist into the machine. There was an ear-splitting crash as the gizmo whirred for a moment and then died.

"But…that would mean-" Kisa stuttered after getting over the shock of Ed reacting so violently.

"Yes." Ed mumbled grimly, yanking his hand out of the monitor screen. "I created a Homunculus that looked our mom, Trisha Elric. I had to kill her while she wore the face of my own mother." His throat felt as though it were on fire. The alchemist started coughing, and as he covered his mouth a warm liquid suddenly forced his way up into his mouth. It came flying out into his hand as his body convulsed. Immediately recognizing the taste of it, he pulled his hand away to see that was covered with blood. Kisa started to freak out a little.

"Ahhh!! Blood!! I-I gotta go get the doctor!!" She turned to press the emergency button but was stopped when Ed grabbed her arm.

"This is nothing…" He whispered dryly. "Just the drawbacks of healing." He pulled Kisa into the chair again. Strangely, she didn't protest. Ed finished his story.

"I made Al suffer, and everyone around me suffered from my mistakes. After…Envy killed me the first time…Al used the Philosophers Stone to bring me back to life before my soul was taken by The Gate. But his body disappeared in the process. I tried to save him, but I couldn't! I was the one who was always just killing my brother….it was me…and I didn't tell you, or Tohru, or anyone else because it sickens people. Be thankful I spared you the horror of it for as long as I could." He finished with a sigh.

Ed longed to get away from her, end his life, and find peace at last. Then maybe he could see Al and his mother before he was sent to hell.

"_Please just go…I don't want you to see…I don't want to face the others. I just want to die…"_ It was silent for another minute as the alchemist waited for her to leave him alone. Her next words, however, caught him off guard.

"Were you…afraid…that we would hate you?" Ed, still staring down at his legs, felt confusion mix with the pain in his body. What did she mean by that? When the alchemist didn't respond, Kisa continued.

"Back when I first started middle school," She began. "The girls in my class began picking on me for my hair color. After I told them that there was nothing I could do about it, they all started ignoring me." The Tiger sighed.

"I couldn't tell anyone about it, not even Mom. Because then I was afraid that they were going to hate me for being so weak. Soon after that, I met Onee-chan, and she didn't hate me for it. Before I knew it, I was moving forward in life again."

"I was afraid of being hated for my weakness…and that my mother would reject me because of it. So each time I ended up making up stories and hiding it, I felt even more pathetic. Was that…what you were doing? Were afraid that we would hate you…and reject you?"

The alchemist remained silent, for his head was processing what she had just said, and what it all meant. She had truth in every word, all strung together for him only. Kisa, noticing his tense posture, decided to keep going.

"I think that…if someone forgives you for those weaknesses, and accepts you for it, it's easier to forgive yourself, and slowly start living again. I don't know what the others will think of all this, if they see you again, but I just want you to know something." She leaned closer to him, and Ed could pick up her gentle aroma. He was still frozen stiff, staring at his sheets, waiting for her next words.

"I…won't hate you Onii-kun." She told him, smiling softly. "I could never hate you, no matter what you've done in your past. And everyone else won't hate you for it either, because that just isn't like them at all. Onii-kun…they won't hate you…I promise!" She ended with her voice rising desperately, as though she was very worried about him. The blonde alchemist felt his eyes unintentionally burn.

"_All this time…"_ The alchemist thought after these words. _"Did I…just need someone to tell me that? Did I need…someone to forgive me? Maybe…I did…need that…"_ His body had gone numb for some reason, and it he didn't even notice the drops of water until they landed on his flesh hand.

"Onii-kun…?" Kisa whispered, reaching under his chin and placing her hand on his left cheek. Ed vaguely felt his face being turned towards hers. The Zodiac Tiger's chocolate eyes widened, locked with his, as she gaped at his expression. Ed could tell that his face was giving away his current emotions: pain, loss, and despair. Her face then softened and she smiled sweetly, her warm brown eyes very forgiving. The streams of salt water coming from Ed's eyes thickened as he looked at her.

For the first time since he could remember, the Fullmetal Alchemist had tears cascading down his face.

Ed, suddenly feeling embarrassed, jerked his head out of her palm and down to the floor, a sob escaping his throat. Kisa tenderly lifted his gaze back up again to hers, and sighed slightly.

"I…won't think any less of you…if you cry…" She told him, shedding tears herself.

Ed couldn't stand it any longer. The alchemist shut his eyes tightly to try and stop crying. He desperately yearned for comfort and acceptance, something that fate had long denied him. Kisa, seeming to sense this, gently pulled his head forward and rested it on her shoulder.

"It's alright…I don't hate you." She murmured softly into his ear. The alchemist leaned towards her a little more, clenching at the sleeves of her scrubs, and carefully making sure his body didn't touch hers. He pressed his face into her shoulder, letting the tears continue to flow and breathing in her soothing aroma.

The tears fell for everything he never cried for. He cried for the loss of his mother, for the pain held back when he burned down his house, for Nina, for the things he failed to do, and for his seperation from Al and his home. Soft sobs emitted quietly from him as emotions locked away for years were at last released. The Zodiac Member rubbed him on the back sweetly in an effort to calm him. Despite the agony that was entangling his mind, one thing was very clear to him.

"…_I…love you…"_ A fresh wave of tears flowed from his topaz eyes. _"I love you…I love you, Kisa…I love you so much…my dearest…my light…my beloved Kisa…"_

Her intoxicating lilac scent, her chocolate-colored eyes, her beautiful tawny hair, her lovely pink complexion, her shy nature, her joyful laughter, her kindness, her gentle smiles, her ringing voice, and her existence meant so much to him. The alchemist knew that he loved her with his entire being.

"_Maybe...just like there are some people who take everything away and give nothing back, there are people…who will hold out their hand…and give you everything you need without asking for anything in return. You are that person for me…I love you so much, Kisa…"_

Ed wasn't sure how long they stayed in that position, but by the time his lamented crying faded into shuddering, hitched breathing, The Tiger's scrubs were stained with salt water. Feeling drained of strength, he reluctantly pulled his face away from her and sat back up, his muscles flexing out of their stiff position and his body aching furiously. The alchemist hastily wiped his eyes.

"Sorry…you had to see me like that…" He muttered apologetically. Kisa shook her head.

"It'll all be OK, Onii-kun, you'll see." She reminded him, holding onto his shoulders so she could look him full in the face. The Tiger smiled at him with a tenderness meant only for him.

"Yeah…" He breathed weakly, glancing down to the floor. The room suddenly began to spin slightly, causing Ed to sway. He leaned forward onto Kisa's shoulder again, resting his face there to steady himself. "I…think I need some sleep…"

"Mmm-hmm…" Kisa pushed him away from her and laid him down on his pillow, pulling the sheets up over his shoulders. "You've been through so much, so try to rest."

"You should sleep too, so go back to your room and stay warm. It's cold tonight…" The alchemist opened one eye wearily and glanced up at her. He spotted a flash of fear cross her face.

"No…what if something happened to you and I'm not here to help?!" She looked truly frightened now, causing Ed's insides to stew with guilt. Had she guessed his plans from earlier, and was that why she came to find him? She simply knew him too well…

"…alright, you can stay…" He sat up, wincing painfully, and scooted over a little (making sure not to dislodge his IV), giving her some room to lay down by him. She carefully climbed onto the hospital bed and plopped down. Ed then pulled up an extra blanket for her to lie under so she wouldn't freeze in the middle of the night. The Zodiac Tiger inched her way closer to him, knowing that the blanket between their bodies would keep her from transforming. After making sure she was comfortable, the alchemist then moved his head over near hers.

"I'm…so glad I met you…" Ed murmured, pressing his forehead against hers and inhaling deeply, taking comfort in her scent.

"I am too." Kisa's voice trailed off to a whisper. Ed felt her reach down under his sheet and take hold of his metal hand. He responded by squeezing it gently. "Are you…sure you're going to be alright?"

"Yeah, I've had wounds that were worse than these, so I'll recover soon."

"I…didn't mean it like that…" Kisa sounded concerned for more than his physical wellbeing. Ed, realizing what she meant, moaned quietly.

"It…still hurts, and I'm nervous about seeing the others. I know for a fact that I'm not going to be able to get over all this overnight," He admitted. "But I won't…try anything stupid…I promise you that."

"…OK…" She sounded relieved, and her breathing grew even a moment later. Ed stayed awake another minute, watching her sleep and listening to the quiet splatter of the rain outside. The rhythm of her breath and the slight rise and fall of her body was hypnotizing. He smiled in content as his gold eyes began to close, a warm feeling in his chest and a healthy red blush appearing on his face.

"_I love you, and I want to be near you always,"_ He started to drift off. _"So that you can give me the courage I need to live. I want you to change me Kisa, and help me overcome my pain. Then, maybe one day…I'll be able to tell you how I feel…"_

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**The next day…**

Shigure never really liked hospitals. The atmosphere was always tense and everyone always seemed so glum. He could sense it easily in the air as he walked down the hallway, Hatori close beside him and Akito lagging along behind the two, staring at the floor and strangely quiet.

"You really gave us a scare Akito." Hatori breathed in relief, even if his face didn't show it. "I thought you were going to be killed." The 'god' didn't respond, which cause Hatori to stop abruptly, looking back at him in concern.

"Akito, did you hear me?" The head of the family jerked his head up, looking surprised, and nodded hastily.

"Y-Yeah…" He stuttered absentmindedly. Shigure immediately came to his side in a single, long stride.

"Are you all right?" He asked quickly, sounding worried. "Do you feel sick?"

"No, I'm feeling fine." Akito answered quietly. "Let's get going." He hurried down the hallway at a faster pace.

"Not so fast." Shigure caught up and laid a hand on his shoulder. "We have to pick up Satchan first, and then we can go."

"OK…" He mumbled in return, not even putting up resistance to the sudden decision.

"I'm really glad you're alright." Shigure muttered in clear relief, gently stroking the bandage that covered Akito's forehead. The swelling had gone down on the bump and there now was a large, but healing, purple bruise. "I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you."

Akito blushed deeply, turning his head away out of embarrassment, and continued down the hallway, only stopping at the entrance to Kisa's door.

"Satchan?" Shigure called into the room as he opened the door. It was empty, with no evidence of The Zodiac Tiger ever being in there. The bed was folded and her clothes from yesterday were gone.

"Strange…" Hatori peeked into the room around Shigure. "She might have gone to get breakfast."

"Come to think of it," Shigure said. "Why don't we all go get something to eat before we leave? We'll probably find Satchan at the cafeteria." The Zodiac Dog shut the door and started down the hallway again. They walked in silence for a minute, nearing the entrance to the building.

"Um…Shigure?" Akito suddenly said quietly as they reached the cafeteria, looking at the floor again. Not too many people were in the room, but the smell of cooking eggs was very overwhelming.

"Yeah?" He looked back at him curiously.

"N-never mind…" The Zodiac leader shook his head roughly, as if trying to get rid of an annoying fly.

"You don't seem like yourself today, Akito." Hatori noted. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Well…actually, I-" He started to say something, but was cut off when familiar footsteps approached them.

"Shigure-oji-chan?" A small voice piped up behind them. The three Zodiac Members looked up to see Kisa standing behind them in a flowery blue dress. Hatori had brought over clothes for both her and Akito the previous night since their clothes from yesterday were rather dirty (and a little bloody). In The Tigers arms was a tray laden with food.

"I'm glad you're alright Kisa." Hatori rubbed her on the head gently. "But, isn't that a little too much food for you?"

"Well…" The Tiger began hesitantly. "Onii-kun's awake, so I'm bringing him breakfast and-"

"Wait, Ed-kun's awake already!?" Shigure said in shock, and then shook his head hopelessly. "Nothing can keep him down for long."

"I think he's just stubborn. Normally most people wouldn't wake up from injuries like that until a few days." Hatori commented.

"As far as I know Onii-kun's…going to be fine physically but," Kisa's expression rapidly changed to a worried one. "…well…he's just…a little……well he's…" She trailed off and was quiet.

"What's wrong with him?" Shigure asked immediately. Kisa took a deep, slightly shuddering breath.

"I went to see him last night, and he was awake when I got to his room." The Tiger began. "He was…really sad, so I stayed with him all night, because I was afraid of leaving him alone. He's shaken from what happened last night...and what that Envy person told us…" A shocked silence followed her words.

"I think Ed-kun might be in depression." The Zodiac Dragon's medical training kicked in a minute later. "Some people who have friends and family hurt or killed in accidents think it's their fault and feel the need to punish themselves, sometimes with death."

"I'm afraid…for him." Tears began to spill from Kisa's eyes, and her voice shook. "I'm so afraid…that he's might try to…" The Dog gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.

"It'll be OK, Satchan." Shigure told her with a small smile. "You can stay at the hospital for a little while and keep an eye on him. Right now, I really think that Ed-kun needs you. We'll work out an arrangement with the other doctors."

"Thank you, Shigure-oji-chan." Kisa smiled at him as well.

"Now then, I think it's time we got Akito home." The doctor interrupted. "Come on Aki-" He turned around to face him, only to find an empty space where the Zodiac 'god' was once standing.

"Akito?"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"You, my friend, are extremely lucky." The doctor scolded Ed after giving him another small dose of morphine. The alchemist tried hard to ignore to needle. "No organs were penetrated when you were stabbed, you didn't lose enough blood for your body to completely shut down, and you should make a full recovery in a month at the least. But next time, think twice before taking on armed thugs."

"Yeah, yeah..." Ed muttered, ignoring his comments.

The pale early morning sun shone through the thin clouds and into Ed's open hospital window. He stared out the window absentmindedly, feeling a fresh breeze coming in. The alchemist enjoyed the smell of rain, and savored it whenever he could, even though it caused him joint pains.

The alchemist had woken up before Kisa did, and after realizing that the heart monitor was still broken, immediately fixed it. It was good timing, for the doctor came in a moment later. The Tiger away shooed away from the room after that, and had trotted down the hall to get Ed some breakfast.

"Now you're gonna have to stay put for a little while, and take it easy." The doctor turned to leave. "Those wounds will open if you move around too much, so for the time being, stay in bed. The reason you're coughing up blood is because you're pushing yourself too hard. It won't kill you, but it will hurt. So I repeat: _stay in bed_." Ed snorted out of discontent.

"Oh, and we've finished running all the tests, so anyone can visit you today if you want them to. I'm impressed by your strength, though. Most people aren't able to even move a finger after getting wounds like those." The doctor added, and then left the room, leaving Ed to his worried thoughts.

_"Knowing everyone, they're gonna want to come check on me."_ The thought of seeing them still frightened him, and he let a small moan as his chest started hurting. _"Why am I…so nervous?"_

He lay down on his back and rolled over to stare out the window, watching the clouds swirl in the pearly gray sky. Kisa had promised him it was going to be all right, and he believed her, but even so, he owed Tohru and his Sohma friends an explanation to what Envy had told them.

He still blamed himself for the failed transmutation, and the pain held back from the past 5 years had broken out of its hold and spread throughout Ed's body. It had truly hurt him when he had told Kisa about it, even though she accepted him. He knew that this wasn't going to fade anytime soon.

_"I'll…at least try not to sink to killing myself…"_ The suicidal thoughts were still in Ed's consciousness, and had stayed there ever since he woke up from his near death experience. _"But it…still hurts…"_

The sound of a door opening diverted Ed away from his thoughts. Grateful for a distraction, the alchemist sat up a little as he turned towards the direction of the sound. He guessed that it was Kisa returning from her trip to the cafeteria, but then froze in shock as he realized who it really was.

"Akito?" The Zodiac 'god' stood shyly behind the partially open door, looking very unsure of himself. "What are you going here?"

The head of the Sohma family immediately looked down at the floor, turning slightly red in the face. It was silent for a moment, but then Akito slowly walked in, still keeping his head down, and sat in the chair Kisa had the previous night.

"Why…did you…save me?" He asked quietly. The alchemist's eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the Zodiac 'god', and then he sighing slightly.

"Do I really need a reason to save someone's life?" Ed pointed out. "I'm sick of watching people die because of me…because of my mistakes." Anguish entered his voice.

"You could've been killed…" Akito protested. "I…didn't mean to fall down, but-"

"Envy was going to kill you on my account." Ed spat coldly. "He's already killed enough people that have helped me in the past, including a very good friend of mine: Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes. The guy stuck his neck out to help me and my brother, and it cost him his life. I'm tired of being unable to save people!"

"But I…haven't helped you in any way." The Zodiac leader suddenly had tears forming in his eyes. "All I did was feel hatred towards you, and before all this happened, I was going to have Hatori erase your memories."

"Really, why?' There was no anger in Ed's voice, just curiosity.

"I was jealous…of you, and Tohru." Akito admitted shamefully. "Our 'bond', the Zodiac Curse, means everything to the one who is born as 'god', the one to rules over them. I didn't want anyone to take them away from me, because then…I would have no reason to exist."

"So I…wanted the two of you to leave the Sohma household so things could go back to the way they were. And despite this…you saved my life by staking yours!" The head of the Sohma family hunched over, laying his head on the side of the bed. Anyone could tell by the shaking shoulders that he was crying.

Ed didn't move for a moment, shocked at Akito's reaction. Then he shook his head a little and placed his metal hand on Akito's back, rubbing it reassuringly, and observed the Sohma family leader a little more closely. He had never really gotten a good, long look at Akito before now.

There was something…off…about him. He had slender wrists and eyes, a slight face, and a strangely graceful figure. These weren't traits of a man, even one like Akito. The alchemist knew enough human anatomy for that.

Ed's eyes widened as the pieces in his head clicked together and he. There was absolutely no way that Akito was who he appeared to be. In fact, he might be…

"Hey," Ed started, a little uncomfortable about asking this. "You're a…woman aren't you?" Akito froze, letting a small gasp escape from his mouth. He looked at Ed in complete surprise.

"How…did you know…?" _She_ stuttered. Ed smiled.

"I know the human body from the inside-out. And to be honest, you do look pretty girlish, even with those clothes." The Zodiac leader sighed.

"There were…going to be problems if the head of the Sohma family was a girl…so it was decided that I be raised as a boy." She admitted, turning red. Ed laughed slightly.

"Strange to think that the day I met you, I was going to attack a girl." Ed was suddenly cut off when Akito threw her arms around him. The Sohma family leader began to sob again.

"Thanks s-so much f-for saving my life! I-I'm sorry you were h-hurt!" Her voice trembled. Ed groaned, partially out of his wounds aching and partially from feeling guilty.

"Look, I didn't do anything worth your thanks." He pushed her away from him gently. "You were put in danger because of me. And I'm the one who should be sorry. You got hurt…" He lightly touched the bandage on Akito's forehead.

"This is nothing." She waved his hand away. "You're worse off…you got those wounds protecting me…when I didn't deserve it…"

"Akito," Ed groaned in exasperation. "You let me stay at Shigure's house and keep my memories. That's more than I could've asked from you."

The door opened again suddenly, surprising them both. Standing at the entrance to the room was Shigure, a slightly knowing look on his face. Behind was Hatori and Kisa, the latter emitting a sigh of relief.

"I figured I would find you in here Akito." Shigure smiled at Akito, while Ed averted his gaze, not really prepared to talk to anyone about last night yet. "It's time we went home."

"Um…OK…" Akito turned back to Ed, and bowed low. "I'm in your debt, no matter what you say." She said a little shyly, and walked over to Shigure's side. The Zodiac 'god' passed Kisa, who immediately hurried to Ed's side with a tray of food in hand.

"I brought you some food." She held it out to him. On the plate was a heap of scrambled eggs, toast, and some orange juice. Ed wasn't really feeling hungry, but even so, he picked up the fork and slowly started to eat.

"Thanks Kisa…" He said after swallowing a mouthful. She smiled at him sweetly. Shigure seemed to sense that Ed wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone else right now, so he just closed the door and left them alone.

"I really think that Ed-kun needs some more time to rest before anyone else sees him." The Zodiac Dragon stated. "He's obviously nervous."

"Well, I'll have a word with Tohru-kun and the others in case he doesn't want to talk to anyone yet." Shigure started down the hallway again, when suddenly he felt Akito grab hold of the back of his clothes. He turned to see her looking up at him fearfully.

"What is it now?" He tilted his head to the side quizzically. Akito glanced down again.

"It's…Rin…" She said, her voice shaking slightly. "I…locked her in The Cat's room…three days ago…"

"Huh?" Hatori looked shocked, as well as worried.

"Could you…go let her out…please?" Her voice broke on the last word. "Bring Rin to me…so I can tell her that…I'm sorry…for getting angry…and hurting her…"

Shigure could not believe his ears. Whenever Akito got angry, most of the Zodiac Members didn't get out of their punishment un-traumatized. But now she was asking for help in apologizing to Rin of all people?

'_Ed…he…I was about to be killed…but he…defended me and took the blow for me! Why did he do that?! Anyone would've known that they'd be killed from a stunt like that!'_

"Are you…sure you're alright Akito?" Shigure asked one more time just to be sure.

"…No…I don't feel alright." She hung her head from apparent shame. "I feel…terrible…"

"It's called guilt." Shigure explained. "It'll go away if you apologize to someone, even if they don't forgive you."

"I…want to…apologize to Hatsuharu as well." She added. "He'll be angry with me when he finds out about Rin…but…"

"Let's start with Isuzu-san first." Hatori reassured her, placing a hand on the Zodiac 'god's' shoulder. Akito nodded hastily, and started down the hallway again. Shigure shook his head in confusion.

"I wonder if…a near-death experience and having someone risk his life for him did this." He mused. Hatori merely shrugged.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**Kaibara Public High School, 1:30 P.M…**

"Uotani-san…Uotani-san!" Yuki looked up from his book to see the teacher standing over Uo, who looked like she had just been jerked out of her thoughts. The Yankee stared Uo at her teacher in surprise.

"What?" It was all she managed to get out. Mayu shook her head hopelessly.

"That's the third time today I've had to call you like that." She placed her hand on Uo's forehead. "Are you feeling sick? Do you want to go to the nurse?"

"No…sorry."Uo waved her hand away absentmindedly. "I'm just…out of it today." The teacher gave her one last searching look, and then went back to grading their tests. Uo dropped her gaze back to her desk.

_"Was it that much of a shock?"_ Yuki thought. _"We may be the ones in trouble if things don't go well."_ He lifted his head back up and gazed around the room at everyone he knew.

Kyo was sulking, his face turned towards the window and an exhausted expression on his face. Tohru looked worried, and Yuki could tell because she kept fidgeting in her seat. Hana's face was an indifferent mask, but it seemed like she was trying to concentrate on something.

Tohru had told Momiji and Haru about what happened the previous night, and that Uo and Hana now knew. Haru had jumped at the news, while Momiji had nearly panicked when he learned that Ed had almost died. What Envy had revealed to them weighed heavily on their minds, but they all had agreed that it was best if the alchemist explained it himself before they jumped to conclusions, and had also decided not to pry if Ed didn't want to talk about it.

_'I think that even if Ed-san tells us about his past,'_ Tohru had told the Zodiac Members during their break. _'We should keep treating him as we always have been.'_

The Rat jumped as the lunch bell rang, and every student got up out of their seats simultaneously, eager for a break from their finals. Yuki got up and walked over to Tohru, who looked exhausted.

"Um...Honda-san, are you going to be alright?" He asked. She looked up from her desk, and smiled as always.

"I'm just tired from last night." She explained. "It was…hard to tell them about it. And I'm worried that I might have failed my finals!" The brunette panicked a little at this, but was calmed when Kyo placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's alright, Tohru." He told her. "You can make up your tests if you failed when everything quiets down." The Cat rubbed the back of his head. "And I'm…pretty worried about Ed right now as well. No one can blame you."

"Honda-san?" The three looked up when someone called out to them from the door. It was apparently someone from the office.

"Yes, what is it?" She stood up to acknowledge herself.

"You have a call from the hospital. Kisa Sohma-san would like to speak to you." He told her. with concerned gasp, she immediately hurried out of the room. The two Zodiac Members tailed her closely, followed by Uo and Hana, who had been watching the exchange.

Momiji and Haru were waiting for them at the office, looking apprehensive. The Zodiac Rabbit jumped up from his seat when they arrived.

"Tohru, I think it might be news about Ed-chan!" He announced.

"We know." Yuki added. Tohru picked up the phone from the man as he left the room, giving them their privacy.

"Hello?" She asked, putting the phone to her ear. She then looked relieved. "I'm so glad you're alright…what? He's awake already?!" Tohru's brown eyes widened in shock, and then her face fell, causing worry to overcome Yuki. There was a long pause as the orphaned listened to what The Zodiac Tiger had to say.

"I…see." She said. "Yeah, I think we'll do that. I'll be right over when school ends. Alright, goodbye…and thanks for telling me." She hung up.

"What's wrong?" Haru asked, looking concerned. Tohru took a deep breath, clearly to steady her voice.

"She…said that Ed-san had a breakdown last night." The Zodiac Members gasped in disbelief. "And that he's still really upset and hurt."

"But…that just doesn't seem like him. What's could be bothering him?" Momiji gained a depressed look.

"It's probably about last night." The Rat guessed.

"That…wasn't all…" Tears pooled in the corners of Tohru's eyes, which made Uo and Hana stride to her side immediately. Her voice rose in fear. "She's afraid…that Ed-san might try to kill himself!"

"What?!" Kyo's pupils seemed to shrink. "But…" He grunted angrily, putting his hand over his face in frustration. Yuki felt panic flood his mind. What if he did try to kill himself? And what if he succeeded? Ed clearly felt like he needed to be punished. If what Envy had said was true, then he must be feeling alone.

"She's so sacred, that she can't leave him." Tohru sobbed.

"Tohru, what do we do?" Momiji looked terrified, while Haru took a deep, shuddering breath.

"We'll all go see him after school, even if he doesn't want us to." He decided, looking determined.

"Kisa-san said that she wants us to talk to him, because he needs support." Uo dried Tohru's tears after she calmed a little. "And I think he feels alone. We need to be there for him!"

"We're coming too, Tohru-kun." Hana suddenly said, causing everyone to look at her in surprise.

"Saki, do you really think that's a good idea?" Uo looked at her in confusion. "From what…we learned last night, that doesn't sound like such a good idea."

"I don't think Elric-san needs any more problems coming at him." The Rat pointed out. "The stress might make him even sicker, and he doesn't need to be pressured further. Plus we swore to him not to tell anyone about him."

"That's why Arisa and I should talk to him. If he doesn't want us knowing about him, then we need to come up with a compr-" A loud banging sound diverted their attention away from the psychic. Yuki looked over to see Uo banging her head against the wall.

"Uh…U-Uo-chan…" Tohru stuttered, looking frightened. "W-what are you-"

"Give me a minute!" Uo shouted, slamming her skull into the wall again. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea!"

"You don't need to give yourself head trauma over it, Arisa." Hana scolded her. "I'm still having a hard time believing it myself."

"It was _that_ shocking to you?" Haru asked.

"You should've seen their expressions last night." Kyo recalled.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**The Main House of the Sohma's, 1:30 P.M…**

It was the third day since Rin was locked in the Cat's isolated room. Her eyes stared at the wall, or rather, into an abyss. Was this what it was like for all the previous Cats? Did they have nothing better to do then slump against the wall and gaze into nothing?

_"I failed Haru…"_ The words continued to repeat themselves in her head ever since she was locked away. Without any other distraction, they were amplified. _"I'm sorry…"_

The Zodiac Horse vaguely looked over to her plate of food brought to the room not an hour ago. It was lying near the long pieces of hair that Akito had cut off, and she pushed it away a little farther. Rin had decided to stop eating the food, since there was no reason to keep eating it. She was worthless, and she couldn't break Haru's curse. What was the point in living now?

Her silent lament was broken by what sounded like a door opening. It was obviously one of the maids coming to pick up her dishes. Rin savored these moments of noise, for it distracted her from her thoughts. The Horse looked up as the inner door opened, and gasped in shock as she recognized the man looking down at her.

"Gure-nii?" She whispered, her voice slightly harsh from disuse. He walked slowly over to her and held out a hand.

"Akito wants to see you." Rin shrank away from his hand.

"Why would I go near him?" She glared at him. "Does he want to punish me more? And why are you even here? Did you just come here to taunt me?!" She stood up, clenching her fists. Anger coursed through her body. Hadn't she been punished enough? She had already decided to stay here and not risk Haru getting hurt any more.

Shigure calmly took hold of her hand and led her out of the room, despite her protests. "How long have you been locked in this room?"

"I don't know." Rin yanked her hand out of his grip. "Three days, but what does it matter to you?" The Dog shook his head. Rin felt confused as she deciphered Shigure's look. It was worry and stress.

"There's been so much going on." The novelist took a deep breath. "Akito and Satchan were kidnapped last night, the entire house is in an uproar, and Ed-kun was nearly killed trying to protect them."

Rin was confused. That strange alchemist was hurt? And what did it have to do with her?

"What…do you mean?"

"Ed-kun's currently in the hospital recovering. From what I heard, the person who attacked Satchan and Akito knew Ed-kun, and he tried to use them as a way to kill him." Shigure shrugged. "Satchan's staying with him in the hospital, because he's apparently in depression, and there's a chance he might try to kill himself."

The Horse was silent as she took this in, and Shigure could see the astonished look on her face slowly grow more obvious.

"Either way, Akito wants to talk to you. And I honestly think that it's not because he's mad at you." Rin was quiet for another moment, then she nodded reluctantly.

Shigure led her out of the room and to the main house. Rin breathed in slowly, enjoying the smell of fresh air and the light, even if it was cloudy. Although she would only be out here for a while before going back in the Cat's room. It wasn't long before they reached the entrance to Akito's room, and Rin was starting to feel nervous.

"Akito?" Shigure called out as he opened the door. The Zodiac 'god was sitting at the table, staring at its surface blindly. He looked up in acknowledgement, and Rin gasped quietly as she noticed a mix of emotions she had never seen on his face before: guilt and concern. He watched Rin for a moment, and then looked away, letting out a small whimper.

"Rin, I…"He muttered painfully. The Horse, feeling a little surprised, slowly walked over to him with Shigure, and knelt down beside him.

"I…I'm s-sorry…" He whispered, his voice starting to shake with sadness. "…for everything…"

"Why are you apologizing to me?" Rin asked, feeling extremely dumbfounded. "I thought you never wanted to see my face again." She spat coldly. Amazingly, it caused Akito to flinch slightly.

"Yesterday…I was kidnapped…by someone named Envy…" Akito began to shiver. "I was…so scared…I thought I was going to die. He was…going to kill me…but Ed, he…almost sacrificed his life for me!" Akito hunched over, crying. Shigure patted him on the back.

"I thought about so many things that night in the hospital…" Akito muttered after calming down. "He was so…selfless. Despite the fact that I was cold to him, and he…didn't blame me when he got hurt." He took a moment to steady his voice, and then looked at Rin with utmost apology.

"So I…wanted to apologize to you…because…I hurt you, and…" The 'god' trailed off, but started up again after a deep breath. "I'm sorry…for pushing you out the window…when I found out about you and Hatsuharu…"

Rin listened disbelievingly with wide eyes. Akito had never apologized to anyone after hurting them before. He would always blame others, like after what happened when Hatori's eye was hurt. But from what he was talking about, maybe having someone nearly die for him changed the way he looked at things.

"I know that…I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I just want you to know that I'm sorry." Akito wiped his eyes, and finally looked at Rin. "I won't get angry if you want to be with Hatsuharu again. Plus, you're free to leave that room."

"I'm not ready to forgive you Akito!" Rin told him with an angry tone, but then it softened a little. "But I do understand…" And with that, she stood up, and walked out. She could hear the 'god' sigh sadly as she left the room, Shigure close behind her.

"Isuzu, go clean yourself up a little." He advised. "And then go talk to Haru. He'll probably be back late this afternoon after he goes to see Ed-kun at the hospital." He turned back into Akito's room and shut the door.

The Zodiac Member fingered what little of the long strands of hair she had left, thinking to herself. She wanted to see Haru badly, but did he want to see her?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**Hospital, 3:30 P.M…**

"ACHOO!!"

"Are you getting a cold Hastuharu-san?" Tohru asked as the group walked through the doors at the hospital entrance.

"No, I'm fine." He answered, sniffling a little.

"Besides, when one sneezes, it only means that they are being talked about." Megumi added. He had joined them at the street corner when they reached the clinic, much to Yuki and Kyo's dismay. Uo, Hana, Momiji, Haru, Tohru, Yuki and Kyo were each carrying a bundle of roses in their arms for Ed.

"OK, who wants to see him first?" Momiji had already run up to the clerk and asked for Ed's room. The Rabbit was handed a piece of paper with directions, and now he was looking at everyone perplexingly.

"Honda-san should go first." Haru suggested, taking the piece of paper and handing it to Tohru.

"Well, um…if anyone else wants to see him, I think that they should go first." She protested. "I mean, I can wait."

"You really should go talk to him first, Tohru." Kyo prompted. "If there's anyone who can get on Ed's soft side, it's you."

"There can only be five visitors at a time, and since Kisa is with him right now, only four of us can go right now." Yuki added. "So who else wants to go?"

"Me, Megumi, and Arisa are going with her." Hana suddenly stated, wrapping her arm around Tohru's shoulders and steering her down the hallway.

"Hey, uh…" Kyo tried to get the right words out, but they failed him when Megumi sent him a glare.

"There's something Saki needs to talk to him about." Megumi shrugged. "If he gets too stressed, we'll leave."

"That's not what I was going to say…" Kyo trailed off as he watched Tohru walked down the hallway.

The orphaned brunette was nervous, and not just about seeing Ed again after last night. She was worried about his state of mind, and whether he was still himself. Uo seemed to notice her uncertainty, and patted Tohru on the head reassuringly.

At last, they reached where the directions had led them to. Tohru hesitantly raised her hand and knocked. Kisa's voice rang through the wood softly.

"Come in."She called apprehensively. With a deep breath, Tohru opened the door.

Ed was sitting up on the hospital bed, staring at the wall. His face looked pale and a little sweaty. Both that and his flesh arm were strewn with bandages where he had been cut or bruised. An IV was attached to his arm. Right after noticing this, Tohru saw Kisa sitting in a chair next to the bed, holding on to Ed's metallic hand tightly.

"Ed-san?" The brunette walked in slowly, feeling a little worried. What if he locked his words away and never spoke again, like Kisa almost had?

The Zodiac Tiger turned at Tohru's greeting and smiled. Ed continued his staring contest with the wall for another moment, but then he sighed, and finally shifted his head to look at Tohru. From what she could see, his amber eyes were dull, and smeared with sadness.

Without warning, relief coursed through her body, and tears started to pour down her face. He was alive, and that was what mattered to her. He was going to live. A small whimper escaped from her lips and, almost automatically, her legs carried themselves forward to him at a surprisingly fast pace. Ed barely had time to gasp from shock before she embraced him tightly.

"You're alright…" She sobbed. "You're…alive!" She buried her head into his shoulder. A deep sigh emitted from Ed and into her ear, and she felt his arms wrap around her gently, one cold and the other warm.

"I'm sorry I worried you." His voice was rough with pain, but clear.

"I was so afraid that you weren't gonna make it last night." Ed pushed Tohru away from him to look her in the face.

"Well, I'm fine, and I'm glad you're safe." He told her. Tohru smiled kindly at him. His expression suddenly changed to confusion as he looked past her to the door. With a jolt of embarrassment, she remembered that Uo and Hana were still standing there. She turned around to see Uo looking at the pair perplexingly and Hana with a small smile on her face. Megumi was expressionless. The Yankee groaned a little.

"Tohru told us everything," She walked into the room slowly, and looked the blonde youth straight in the eye. "Fullmetal Alchemist."

Ed tensed slightly, and gave Tohru a searching look. She felt guilty about telling her friends about him, and looked down to the ground.

"T-they found me at the warehouse last night and-" She was shushed when Ed put a finger to her lips.

"It's fine." He breathed in slowly, and looked up at Uo questioningly. "What do you know?"

"That you're from a parallel world were alchemy is possible." Megumi said. "And that you were attacked by someone called Envy." The alchemist glanced down warily. Kisa instantly placed her hand on his fake arm comfortingly.

"I suppose I owe you an explanation, huh?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Tohru told him, earning a surprised look from Ed.

"No, it's alright." He protested, and placed his hand on his metal shoulder, squeezing it tightly as though it were in pain. "It's time I told you why I'm here and-"

The alchemist was cut off when the sound of heavy footsteps sounded off outside the closed door. Everyone turned in the direction of the noise. It opened slowly to reveal Ed's father, an unreadable emotion on his rough face.

"Oh, Hohemheim-san!" Tohru stood up and bowed politely in greeting. Hana's eyes widened from recognition.

"You were at Kyoko-san's funeral." She looked at him curiously, while Uo just stared in surprise. "You have such strange waves…"

Hohemheim of Light didn't acknowledge her, for his gaze was fixed on his son, who was gaping at him in shock. The light from the outside window were reflecting off his glasses, hiding his eyes. Ed's old man calmly walked in, while Tohru and Kisa stepped away to give him room.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Ed asked quietly. Hohemheim didn't reply when he reached the side of the alchemist's bed. He just groaned and rubbed his face with his palm. After another moment, he drew back his fist.

"You IDIOT!!!!" With this final word, he punched Ed in the cheek as hard as he could, and glared furiously down at him. Kisa let out a frightened squeak, while Tohru and her friends gasped. Ed didn't move for a second, obviously stunned by the blow. But then his face contorted with rage and he glared right back up at his father.

"What's that for?! He shouted.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Hohemheim of Light's voice dropped to a dangerously low volume, and rose as he spoke. The old alchemist grabbed Ed by the collar of his scrubs and yanked him towards his face to glare angrily at him. "He could have killed you. It was me he wanted, not you!!"

"I'm aware of that fact!" Ed spat in his rough face. "Besides, Envy would've used me to get to you if he just wanted to kill _you_!"

"Do have any idea what was going through my head when Shigure called me last night?" Tohru was suddenly struck by how much they looked alike: blonde hair glowing in the dim sunlight, shoulders in similar positions while they were tensed up, and golden eyes flashing at each other dangerously. She was so wrapped up in that fact that she almost missed the next part of their argument.

"What?! Were you too ashamed to tell me that Envy was once your son?!?!" That struck Hohemheim hard, and he let out a choked gasp. "TOO ASHAMED TO ADMIT THAT YOU COMMITTED THE SAME SIN I DID?!?!?!?!?!"

The older alchemist stared at Ed in shock, but then it melted into guilt. He sighed very deeply, dropped Ed, sank into the chair next to the bed, and placed his head into his palms. His son didn't let up his furious look. It was quiet for a moment.

"How many…are inside you, exactly?" The psychic asked suddenly. Tohru turned her gaze away from the father and son, realizing that Kisa had pulled her as far away from the fight as possible. Hohemheim of Light looked over to Hana, frowning.

"Just a few." Uo alternated her head looking at the two, dumbfounded. "I'm surprised that you can sense human souls."

"No, I just hear their inner voices," Hana explained. "But you have several different voices inside your body, like others are trapped in there."

"I have many souls infused with mine." He told her. "But they're wearing away quickly, and so I won't be around for much longer."

"Don't avoid my question!" Ed cut in. "Why the hell didn't you tell me that Envy was alive?! And why didn't you tell me he was your son at one point?!?!" He suddenly let out a racking cough. He covered his mouth quickly while Tohru hurried over to him in concern.

"Ed-san, are you OK?!"

"Onii-kun, please don't push yourself, you'll get sick." Kisa rubbed him on the back comfortingly until his coughing stopped. When he removed his hand from his mouth, there was a rusty-smelling red liquid coating his palm and lips. Tohru immediately flew into a panic attack.

"B-BLOOD!! Y-y-you're bleeding!" She shouted. "You need bandages, oh n-no wait, w-we need medicine!! No, that's not it either!!! Oh, what are we going to do?!"

"I'm fine, just calm down." Ed took the tissue Kisa was holding out to him and wiped his mouth.

"You're not fine; you're freakin' bleeding from the inside!! We gotta call the doctor!" Uo dashed for the door, only to be stopped by Hana.

"Everyone, calm down." Hana reassured her. "When wounds heal it's natural that sometimes the person will cough up blood when stressed." The alchemist finished cleaning his mouth and looked back over to his father.

"Are you 'gonna answer my question or not?" He spat coldly.

Hohemheim took a few steady breaths and looked over at Uo, Hana, and Megumi. "You should hear this if you know about where Edward and I come from now, you two as well." He gestured to Tohru and The Zodiac Tiger. Megumi pulled up a couple more chairs for him, Tohru, and Hana to sit down in, while Kisa plopped next to Ed, who possessively took hold of Kisa's hand. The old alchemist took another moment to think, then began his tale.

"It all started with a bunch of old fools." He said. "I was one of them. Five hundred years ago, me, my assistant, and my former lover, Dante, were the first to perfect methods for creating an item called Philosophers Stones. It was…made up by sacrificing human lives." Everyone gasped silently, minus Ed, whose face was still scrunched up in anger.

"The very first Philosophers Stone we created was when we used the lives of criminals and killers on death row in our experiments. The creation of the Stone, however, nearly cost me my life. In desperation, right after the first stone was made, Dante pinned my soul to the body of my assistant, so while my original body was dying, my soul would live."

"We were both ecstatic as we came to realize what this meant: we had discovered immortality." He sighed again. "Dante and I could live forever as long as we jumped from body to body. When the Philosophers Stone was used up, Dante went to some very extreme measures to create new ones. We started wars, riots, and killed hundreds of innocent people just so the two of us could live. For four hundred years we did this, carving out our country's history with blood."

"During the time after I was pinned to my assistant's body, Dante was pregnant with our first child." He was cut off when Tohru looked like she wanted to say something.

"But, weren't you married to Ed-san's mother?" She asked, her voice a little high in pitch. "I thought that-"

"I'll be getting to that in a minute." He told her gently, and went back to his story. "We had a baby boy, but he died prematurely of mercury poisoning." Hohemheim of Light's face dropped back to the floor. "I…didn't think about the consequences that would come afterwards, and I tried a human transmutation to bring him back to life. I thought that I could do it with the Philosophers Stone, but I was wrong."

"When a human transmutation fails, the side effect is the creation of a being called a Homunculus, and you should know that the one I created was the one who attacked you and Akito last night." He told Kisa.

"But then…if Envy-san was once…your son, then that would mean…" Tohru looked at Ed in horror. He nodded.

"Yeah, Envy was my half-brother, and I'm not proud of that fact." He spat.

"Neither am I." His father added somberly. "I'm…such a coward. All I've ever done was hide from him. I turned my own child into a monster. I hated that fact, and I…hated myself for it. That's why I didn't tell you that I thought that Envy was on my tail. I couldn't find the courage to bring it up. I've always had his weakness with me, and I…send that piece of bone to you indirectly so that you wouldn't ask."

I'm such a sick person. I turned my own son into a monster. And then I abandoned him, not long before I met Trisha."

"So, why did you leave him?" Megumi pressed, obviously taking in every word.

"It was at least a hundred years ago that I finally got sick of sacrificing the lives of others just so I could jump bodies and cheat death." The old alchemist said. "I…left Dante and my Homunculi son, and I met Trisha soon after. I fell in love with her, not like my love with Dante. I felt like I could start over, and actually have a family, and die in the body Trisha loved."

"Earlier on, I discovered that when someone jumps bodies, a part of their soul is left behind, and the body begins to rot faster and faster with each jump. This is proof." He pulled up the sleeve of his white polo, causing Tohru's friends to cry out with disgust. The flesh looked worse than when Ed had first seen him a few months ago.

"It was a couple of years after Trisha gave birth to Alphonse that my body began rotting again. I left home because I couldn't face my kids with this. I didn't deserve children, and I certainly didn't deserve a woman like Trisha." He fell silent. The Yankee and the two psychics stared in awe and disbelief. Uo shook her head roughly.

"So, where do you come into this story?" She asked Ed, who groaned slightly.

"I…don't like to talk about it…but I'll tell you." Tohru patted his shoulder in encouragement.

"If there's something you feel like you don't want to tell us, you can leave it out. I won't complain." Tohru smiled at him sweetly. "And I'm not going to hate you for it, no matter what you've done." Ed gasped quietly, his golden eyes widening. Kisa giggled a little as he looked over to her. Clearly taking comfort in her presence, he started a speaking slowly.

"It was five years ago when Al and I tried to bring Mom back to life…"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Momiji patiently tapped his foot on the floor of the waiting room, unable to sit still. Kyo, lounging in a chair across the room, looked uneasy. Next to him was Haru, who yawned in boredom. Yuki just stared blankly at the wall. The Rabbit was willing to wait, but that didn't stop him from worrying.

They had all seen Hohemheim storm into the building angrily, and he marched right down the hallway despite the protests coming from the nurses. They could only just pray that Ed wasn't pushed over the line.

The familiar pattern of Tohru's footsteps reached his keen ears, and everyone looked up quickly at their arrival. Tohru's friends were with them, along with Hohemheim, who was no longer furious. On the contrary, he looked like he had just gotten something off his chest. Whatever it was, The Zodiac Member only hoped that it wasn't taken out on Ed.

The four Cursed Sohmas hurried over to Tohru as she arrived. Ed's father just nodded in greeting and continued to make his way out of the building, clearly finished here. Yuki was the first to reach Tohru.

"Honda-san, how is he?" The orphaned looked a little worried, as well as the psychic and her brother. Uo answered his question.

"I guess he's fine, and he does look like he took a load off his shoulders, though he's still feeling down." She shook her head hopelessly. "I wouldn't have made the first day if I had to go through what that poor kid did."

"Elric-kun's still hurting," Hana added. "But we can't be visiting him any longer, so it's up to all of you."

"Kisa-san's going to be staying with him tonight." Tohru's voice was unusually low. "He still might…you know. Ed-san's...been so hurt!" She finished with a slight sob. Hana, Uo, and Megumi were at her side in an instant.

"I've never heard of anyone who can put up with so much for so long and not give up on living." Megumi commented. "If anyone where to say the wrong thing to him at the wrong time, he would break in an instant."

"Tohru, do you need to go home?" Kyo placed a hand on her shoulder, noticing she was still unhappy. "I'll walk you."

"No, go see Ed." Uo urged him, not hitting him for once. "He needs all the help he can get."

"We'll make sure she gets home safely." Haru reassured them. Tohru nodded goodbye, and was guided out of the room by her two best friends.

"Shall we?" Yuki gestured down the hallway, and led the group. Along the way, they passed Kisa, a water bottle in her hand.

"Kisa, where are you going?" Momiji asked.

"Onii-kun's thirsty, and he's stressed out, so he'll need some water." Kisa started playing with her fingers, a habit she had developed whenever she was uneasy. "Will you watch him for me while I'm gone, please?"

"We will. And don't forget that visiting hours will end soon," Yuki recalled. "So don't be long."

The Tiger nodded, and trotted down the hallway to the water fountain. Yuki picked up the pace to reach Ed's room before he tried something stupid.

The four Zodiac Members reached the alchemist's room before long, and Momiji knocked apprehensively.

"Come in…" Ed's voice was so low that he could barely hear it. Momiji, suddenly fearing the worst, quickly slid open the door. He then sighed in relief, and so did Haru, Yuki, and Kyo. He was sitting upright on his bed, staring at his sheets. His long bangs shielded his face from them. On the nightstand next to him were four rose bouquets, obviously from his previous visitors. All four walked in quietly.

"Hey Ed-kun, how are you-" Haru started.

"Why?"

The alchemist voice was harsh, like the sides of his throat was grating together. Momiji tilted his head to the side slightly, widening his eyes as he did so. What did he mean by that?

"Why what?" Kyo asked.

"Why the hell does she keep doing that?!" His voice rose angrily.

"Who? Honda-san?" Yuki wondered in shock.

"Yes her!" Ed glared over at them, but there wasn't anger in his eyes; only bewilderment and despair. "Why does she keep doing that to me?"

"Doing what?" Momiji urged him to continue, though he thought he already knew the answer as to what.

"Why does… she keep forgiving me?" Ed's voice dropped into a painful, strained tone, while his face sank into his palms. "I…told her everything. Every little detail about those past four yours. I hid nothing of the horrors I committed and saw." He suddenly started coughing, and blood began to spew out of his mouth.

"Elric-san!" Yuki immediately rushed over to his side. Haru, Kyo and Momiji quickly followed.

"This is nothing." He choked, wiping his mouth off with his sleeve. "Why was…she still able to smile at me like that, as if nothing happened?" His eyes looked like they were burning. "Why does she keep forgiving me? For everything? I don't have anything to give to her in return, and she knows this. But why...how…does she keep forgiving me…with that smile?" He trailed off, gazing down at his legs again. Momiji, suddenly realizing what the anguished alchemist needed to hear, smiled kindly.

"Hey Ed-chan, does that…seem stupid to you?" He asked. Ed sent another glare at him, and this time, there was anger.

"Of course it's stupid." He muttered. "So many people can take advantage of her, and walk all over her." Momiji patted him on the back gently.

"There are people in this world who are completely self-centered, and only do things for themselves. But…I think it's OK for some people to be the opposite, and always put their needs last."

"Well yeah, but-"

"If you want to repay her Ed-chan, then you're just going to have to take good care of her from now on." The Zodiac Rabbit told him. "I think that'll be good enough for her." Ed didn't reply, just stared down at his covers again. Momiji continued.

"Do you want to hear a story…before you tell us yours?" Ed looked up curiously in spite of himself. Yuki, Haru, and Kyo seemed to guess what Momiji was going to say, so they plopped down into some chairs and made themselves comfortable, and looked at The Rabbit expectantly. Momiji smiled even wider as he took in Ed's look.

"It's called The Most Foolish Traveler."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**The Main House of the Sohma's 7:30 P.M…**

"How long will he be in the hospital?" Kagura looked at Momiji desperately. She and Hiro had been waiting for everyone to come back in the main house. The Rabbit had just walked in to see them sitting at the table worriedly.

"At least until his wound closes up and he can walk without opening it." Momiji reassured her.

"Where's Kisa?" Hiro asked, looking worried. "I thought she was leaving the hospital today, and I came home after school but she wasn't here. Is she OK?!"

"She's fine, but Kisa's staying with Ed-chan at the hospital for a little while."

"What?!" The Ram's eyes widened in disbelief, and then glared at him.

"Hey, where's Haru?" Kagura said in an attempt to lighten the already dark mood and prevent Hiro from going off the deep end. "Did he go to Shii-chan's house?"

"No, Akito wanted to see him." Momiji explained. "And…I think Rin wanted to talk to him as well. He shouldn't be too long-" He was cut off when the door to the dining room opened again. The Ox walked in with Rin close behind him, looking down at the floor in apparent embarrassment. Her hair was short, and she seemed to look a little healthier. Kagura suddenly changed her expression to an excited one.

"No way!!" She said happily. "Did you two make up?"

"In a way, yes." Haru had a strange mixture of emotions on his face. There was anger, confusion, pity, and stress. Rin sat down beside Kagura, looking tired. Haru joined her and wrapped his arm around Rin, who didn't protest at all. With a deep breath, she began to speak.

"Akito…locked me in The Cat's room a few days ago, and he cut my hair." She said while fingering her now short hair, causing the other Zodiac members to gasp in shock. "But he let me out this morning, and apologized."

"Wait, _Akito_ apologized to her?" Hiro asked in shock. "What drove him to do that?"

"I think it was because of last night." Haru guessed. "I got angry when I learned that he had pushed you out the window, Rin." He looked over at her. "But then…when I was about to hit him, he just broke down and started apologizing like crazy." His eyes dropped to the ground. "I…couldn't bring myself to get angry at him after that. He didn't want my forgiveness, but he just wanted me to know that he was sorry."

"I'm not going to forgive him for doing that to me." Rin muttered coldly. "But I…can understand why he wants to apologize."

"I'm not exactly sure what happened last night." Momiji said quietly. "But from what I heard from Shii-chan, he had learned from Akito that Ed-chan had nearly died to save his life. I guess…being stuck in the hospital made him think about things."

"Speaking of which, you guys went to see Ed-chan today, right?" Kagura asked. "Why is Satchan staying with him?"

"Because she needs to be with him…until he cheers up a little." Kagura's eyes widened, while Hiro let out an annoyed grunt.

"Why the heck does she like him so much?" He groaned in frustration. "If she's not hurt anymore, then she should just come home."

"Hiro, Ed-chan really needs her by his side." Momiji protested. "He's really upset right now. You have no idea what he's been through!"

"I don't really care." Hiro retorted. "I hate that guy! He gets on my nerves all the time and he freaks out whenever I say something! Why should I care if-"

"YOU JUST DON'T GET IT, DO YOU HIRO?!?!?!" A slam on the table indicated that Haru had gone Black. Everyone looked over to him in worry, scooting away a little. He had thrown his fist into the table and splintered the wood. Hiro backed farther away than the others, scared.

"H-Haru-nii, what do you mean?" The Ram stuttered, worried that he might take out his rage on him. Haru, for once while he was Black, tried hard to keep his voice under control.

"Do you really understand how hurt Ed-kun is?" He choked out, furious. "Do you know how much pain he's in right now?" Hiro grew angry.

"Why should I care, it doesn't concern me at all!" He snapped. "Now answer my question. As bluntly as you want for all I care: why is Kisa staying at the hospital with him?" The Ox used what little control he had to keep himself from attacking Hiro. He sent a glare at the prickly middle schooler with anger and, shockingly, fear in his eyes.

"Because Kisa might be the only thing that's keeping Ed-kun from jumping off the roof the hospital; she might the only reason that he hasn't committed suicide yet." He spat, feeling afraid of what Ed actually might do if she wasn't around to keep him from sinking deeper into depression. His fear for Ed's life pulled him out of his Black state.

Hiro gasped quietly at his words. He hadn't expected that at all. Personally, he had thought that Kisa had preferred Ed over him, but now he could see a little of what was really going on. When Kisa had been kidnapped the previous day, he had felt terrible. And when he learned that Kisa was saved by Ed and in the hospital, The Ram had been going through a strange mixture of emotions. Fury, jealousy, fear and worry had all been coursing though his body the previous night. But now…

"Haru-kun, you're awfully defensive of him." The Boar noted. "Why is that?" Haru sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Well, if there was anyone whom I would call my best friend, it'd be Ed-kun." Haru muttered. "He's a good guy, and deserves to live, no matter how much self-hatred he feels."

"So why is he suffering so much?" Rin asked, speaking for the first time since Haru snapped. "Why does he hate himself?"

"I think he feels guilty about what happened to his brother." Momiji piped up, looking sad.

"What do you mean by that?" Hiro prompted.

"Well, Hiro, have you ever lost someone who you cared about very much?" The Ram shook his head. "I have, and it too, was my mother."

"That's right, your mother's memory was erased." Kagura recalled.

"Papa told me that he wanted Mama to be saved by erasing her memories of me." He started. "And I agreed to have her memories erased. When she did, she was able to smile again, and even though she forgot me, I was glad that she was happy and smiling."

"I think that the reason Ed-chan and his brother tried to bring their dead mother back…was because they wanted to see her smile. After all, if you ever lost someone close to you Hiro, what lengths would you go to just to see them smile and be happy again?" The Rabbit fell silent for a moment, taking a deep breath. He gave the others a moment to grasp this, and then continued.

"That might be why Ed-chan tried so hard to restore his brother's body, because he wanted to see him smile again. No one deserves to be a being in a body that's as inhuman as possible. I can only imagine how it must be to just be a soul trapped in a suit of armor…and it makes me sad when I think about it."

"Apparently, Al-chan couldn't feel anything while trapped in that armor. He couldn't eat…he couldn't cry…and he couldn't sleep. I guess after staying in a body with none of the five senses, he began to appreciate how lucky he was when he had a living body, and it's not something anyone should take for granted." Momiji paused for another moment, clearly trying to find his next words.

"It must've been painful to live in a body like for four long years." The Zodiac Members voice shook slightly. "If I was just a soul in a suit of armor, I would miss the taste of food, and the feeling of cool water pouring down my throat. I wouldn't be able to cry even during the saddest of times. I wouldn't be able to feel anything…not wind on my face or grass under my bare feet."

"And if I couldn't even sleep in a body like that, then I would realize how long the nights were, and it would make me think about things that I shouldn't. I wonder what was going through Al-chan's mind as he waited every night for four years for the sun to come up." Momiji breathed out slowly to steady his voice. "I feel…very sad when I think about it, and it makes realize how fortunate I am." Silence followed his words. The Rabbit's theory had a very heavy effect on everyone, even Hiro. Kagura had tears pouring down her face.

"Knowing how hurt his brother was and what he had taken away from…is what gave birth to the self-hatred that Ed-chan feels." Momiji added. "He blames himself for everything bad happening to his brother, and I can understand the despair he feels. To want something as simple as seeing your mothers smile again, and it turning into a nightmare, is something that can slowly kill a person."

"When I visited Ed-chan at the hospital this afternoon, I didn't see the strong friend that I'd been having such a good time with these past few months. Instead, I saw a child who had everything taken away from him, who had been trying so hard to make one mistake right again, and who had been driven to the point of near suicide."

"I think his will to live has shattered into millions of pieces, and what little there is left of him will break soon if something isn't done. Imagine him as something made of very fragile glass. If you touch that glass the wrong way, it will be destroyed in an instant, because the glass lost its support." The Rabbit's voice began to shake.

"We Zodiac Members have suffered because of our curse, but I would take this curse any day than go through what he did. Despite the pain we live with, we aren't alone, because we have each other. From what it sounds like, Al-chan was his support pillar from those four long years they spent trying to find a way to restore their bodies. When he lost that pillar, well…it was only a matter of time before he fell over and gave up. And…to be honest, I think that if he hadn't appeared in Shii-chan's backyard that day and we hadn't saved him…he would have just let himself lie on the ground and bleed to death, because he wouldn't have known what else to do."

"Even though it looks hopeless right now to bring back the old Ed-chan, I…want to try and heal him. If I have to pick up the hundreds of shards of glass…one by one…and build him back together, then I will try. Even if it takes a lifetime, I will do it."His face scrunched up with determination. "I want to help him, because I also think of him as my best friend, and I don't want him to die." Momiji finished, sighing and brushing away the tears that were forming in his brown eyes.

It was silent for a little longer then last time Momiji stopped talking. The Zodiac Members were staring at the ground or anything else other than each other. Kagura, daring to make a move, handed a tissue over to Rin.

"Here…" She said, and everyone else noticed right away that Rin was tearing up. The Horse, suddenly conscious of all the eyes on her, knocked Kagura's hand away in embarrassment.

"I-I'm not crying!!"

"No one asked if you were crying." Hiro pointed out. Rin shot him a glare.

"You're stubborn about the weirdest things!!" She stood up and stormed out of the room in a huff, closely followed by Haru.

"Hey, Rin?" He called to her. She stopped when they reached the outside porch.

"What?" She asked. Haru could see her start to fidget; a habit she had developed whenever she was nervous. The Ox smiled in spite of himself.

"I…wasn't asking you to come back to me, but I knew that…I was going to get very lonely without you. And that's why I won't give up on you Rin." He walked forward and tightly grasped her hand. She looked down to the ground, blushing.

"Hiro told me that you were trying to break my curse." He pointed out, making Rin tense up. "Look, with the way Akito's acting right now, I don't think that's necessary. I'm…sorry if I was hurting you, but I want you to come back to me Rin. I really do." He immediately noticed the tears that actually poured freely down her face.

"I-I'm sorry…that I'm so w-worthless." She sobbed. "I t-tried so hard to f-free you, but…it was a w-wasted effort…" She trailed off, and Haru immediately stepped forward and held her tightly, earning a surprised squeak from her.

"Huh, I guess…this means your journey's over, right?" She looked up at him curiously, and nodded with a quiet "yeah". Haru continued. "I'll be so lonely…if you don't come back to me. If you don't come back home." Rin sniffled, and smiled for the first time since she could remember.

"Then…that means I'm going back…to you." She embraced him back, burying her head in his school uniform and breathing in its scent.

"Listen, I've grown up enough that I can carry you by myself." He told her. "From now on, walk to places that you can get to by yourself, and let yourself be carried when you can't get somewhere. You're not a burden, Rin. You're not." These words made more salt water spill from The Zodiac Horse's eyes, and she clung to Haru tighter.

"I'm(sob)….home…" She whispered, causing Haru to smile.

"Well then, welcome home Rin…" He tilted his beloved's head up gently, and placed a tender kiss there on her soft lips. She kissed back just as lovingly.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**Hospital, 3:30 A.M…**

_"Al!! ALPHONSE!!!!!" Eyes glared down at him from everywhere. The alchemist ran through the blackness relentlessly. He had to find and save his brother, the only family he had left. The tunnel of eyes seemed endless, with a glimmer of light up ahead that never got any closer no matter how fast he ran._

_"Edward Elric." A soft, dangerous voice cooed. He spun around to stare into the slit eyes of a Homunculus._

_The one that happened to look just like his mother._

_"You're still trying to save your little brother?" She chuckled. From behind her stepped Lust and Gluttony._

_"You never had even a slight chance of protecting him from us." Lust purred. "It was you who turned him into a monster that was slowly killing his humanity. What right do you have, staying alive?"_

_Ed backed away as far as he could before he tripped from the lack of strength in his legs. Sweat rolled down his face, and fear made him tremble. Even if he had never shown it before, he had always been afraid of these Homunculi._

_"It was you who killed him, Fullmetal." Pride marched up on his left, his left eye exposed. "You're to blame!"_

_"Hey pipsqueak!" Greed had appeared above, and Ed just jumped away in time to keep from being landed on. "It wasn't just your brother that you turned into a monster."_

_"No, it wasn't." Sloth lashed out at him, wrapping Ed in her watery tendrils and beginning to choke him. "You stupid child, did you really think you could actually make it all right again?"_

_"You have no right to be alive, so why don't we send you to see him?" Lust added. A familiar, echoing footstep pattern reached his ears, and he gasped in disbelief. Struggling to turn around in Sloth's tight grip, he just managed to spin his head around as the clanking sound drew closer._

_"Al…" Ed whispered in a shaking voice. The suit of armor stared up at him with angry, pupil-less eyes._

_"Why brother? Why did you do this to me?!" He screamed in that metallic tinted voice. "You destroyed my body and killed me! WHY?!?!"_

_"I…I'm sorry Al…!" It was all he could get out. The Homunculi were right; it was his fault that Al was dead. What point was there in being alive right now?_

_"You should be." Gluttony sneered, a huge droplet of drool forming in the corner of his mouth._

"…Onii-kun…"

_"Just go ahead and drop off the roof, Fullmetal." Pride suggested. "You won't feel a thing when you hit the ground, I guarantee it."_

"Onii-kun!"

_"You should just let me do the honors." Al's voice abruptly changed into Envy's, and with a flash of blue light he changed into his Homunculi form, his arm was a long blade, though. Ed struggled to break free, but Sloth started to shake him in her grip. "I'll make this quick and painless." With a huge smirk, The Sin charged._

"ONII-KUN , WAKE UP!!!" The shaking continued even though the Homunculi all vanished. Warm hands were pressed against his chest. Underneath those hands, his heartbeat was racing, and the water from Sloth's body soaked him head to toe. With a jolt of terror, Ed's eyes flew open.

Survival instinct kicked in before he was even aware of his surroundings. With a yell of fear, Ed threw his hands together with a loud clap and slammed them onto his bed, sitting bolt upright. A low rumbling noise indicated that the wall he was creating out of the floor was forming. That would be enough to stop Envy from stabbing him again.

"Onii-kun, p-please calm down!" Kisa's soothing and gentle voice drifted into his ears, and he felt her warm hands gripping his shoulder. Her aroma wafted to his nostrils, clearing his mind and fully awakening him.

"K-Kisa?" He panted. His scrubs were soaked through with his sweat, and his body was throbbing with pain from his wounds. A white hot liquid rushed up Ed's throat. He gagged as blood began pouring out of his mouth.

"You're so sick..." Her voice sounded tearful and worried. He felt her hands rub his back gently as the blurriness over Ed's vision began to fade. He looked over to her after ridding his mouth of blood.

"W-what's going on?" He groaned.

"Were you having a nightmare?" She asked, washing his face off with a wet rag from the bowl of water on his nightstand. "I woke up and you were thrashing around in your bed."

"Yeah…I was." He admitted, looking over to his transmutation, and clapped his hands. "Let me fix that real quick."

After morphing the wall back into the floor, he laid back and collapsed onto his pillow, moaning from his stomach wound blazing hotly.

"Just a dream…" He breathed. The Zodiac Tiger washed off the rag and placed a clean one on his forehead. Ed turned his head over towards her slightly. "You don't have to do this." He told her. She just smiled at him.

"I'm doing this because I want to." She patted Ed on the shoulder. "Who else is 'gonna look after you if I don't?"

Ed smiled back up at her, feeling his face grow hotter in contrast to his cooling body.

"Go back to sleep, 'kay?" He told her, noticing her fatigued expression.

"Okay…" Kisa turned and walked back to the spare bed brought in for her to sleep on. Within minutes of climbing into it, she was asleep again.

The same couldn't be said for the alchemist, who just stared out the window until the sun rose again.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**Three days later…**

Tohru woke up to the sound of a strange beeping noise going off repeatedly. With a jolt she sat up in bed, glancing around to see where the sound was coming from, and then remembered that she had bought an alarm clock to wake herself up every day recently.

_"Oops, I forgot that Shigure-san bought this for me."_ She shut it off and checked the time. It was 7:30 A.M, just the right time for her to wake up and make breakfast before school started.

"Wow, this really does come in handy." She said aloud. "I'll have to thank him for it today."

After climbing out of bed and slipping into her school uniform, Tohru trotted down the stairs to the kitchen, pulled out some bacon, and let it sizzle in the frying pan for a minute. Footsteps sounded off behind her.

"Hey Tohru, how come you're up so early?" Kyo asked, making her turn around in surprise.

"Oh, Kyo-kun, good morning." She said happily. "Well, Shigure-san bought me an alarm clock so I could get up on time every morning. I've kind of been having trouble waking up on time to make breakfast for everyone."

"It's probably because of stress," The Cat guessed. "When the body is under too much pressure, you tend to sleep more so your body can recover from stress. You were pretty worked up over finals, and…well…the night before our finals wasn't exactly a good night for studying."

"Yeah, I guess…" She muttered, and flipped the bacon in the pan over. "That night was long even though everything happened so fast, and…well, I'm just now sorting out all the details." She sighed.

_"It's already been four days since Ed-san saved Kisa-san and Akito-san, and since he was taken to the hospital."_ She thought. _"I'm glad everything's gone back to normal and Shigure mentioned that the Main Sohma House has calmed down, but…I'm still worried about Ed-san. Kisa-san told me that he's still hurt. I guess he still needs time to grieve over everything, and get over all his pain."_

"Ya know, for some reason, this place isn't the same without Ed." Kyo groaned. "It's too quiet. Oh, and I heard from Shigure that Kisa's started going back to school today, but she's still scared of leaving him alone. We talked to the doctors last night and asked them to keep an eye on him in case he tried something stupid."

"Oh, by the way, Ed-san's wound closed up enough so he can walk without tearing them open now!" Tohru said happily. "He was starting to get pretty restless, what with being stuck in bed and all." Kyo shook his head in worry.

"Well, now that he can get around easier, then that means he has a better chance of…getting to the rooftop quicker without being noticed." Tohru felt herself tense up with fear. Was there a better chance of him trying to hurt himself now that he had the physical strength? She dropped her head down in worry.

"Oh, man!" Kyo reprimanded himself, and placed a hand on Tohru's shoulder apologetically. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you all depressed!"

"N-no," she said quietly, trying to suppress her shaking tone. "I'm OK."

Kyo sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead, and patted Tohru on the shoulder. "We'll…see if we can leave school early to go check up on him, alright?" Tohru smiled in response.

"OK!" Kyo blushed slightly, enjoying this moment with her alone.

"Hey, one more thing, remember that you're not the only one trying to help Ed get back on his feet." Kyo reminded her. "I want him to get up as much as you do, so just know that I'm right behind you on this." Tohru, blushing even more brightly than him, smiled even wider.

"I know, and thank you." Just then, the scent of burning meat reached their nostrils. The bacon was getting too crispy.

"OH NO!!" Tohru immediately rushed to turn the burners off. "Oh no, I burnt the bacon!! I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry about it." Kyo grinned at her, playfully ruffled her hair, and started taking the pieces out and placing them on a plate. "Besides, I think bacon tastes better when it's burned." Tohru laughed in relief.

"Thanks Kyo-kun!" Both of them threw more bacon into the frying pan, and this time, made sure they burned it to a delicious crisp.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**Hospital, 2:30 P.M…**

"So you passed all your finals, Tohru?" Uo said happily, holding the hospital door open for her friend. "That's great news!"

"Yes," She said in relief. "I was so worried that I was going to fail everything because I hadn't studied the night before my finals. But when I got my grades back I was ecstatic to learn that I had passed."

"That night before our finals was the night you were attacked, right?" Hana asked Kisa, who nodded nervously. "I'm sorry that that tragic event had to befall you."

"Yeah, that was a rough night for us all, Ed in particular." Kyo added.

"I was really scared that night." Tohru shuddered at the all-too fresh memories of Envy's psychotic laughter and of the alchemist lying on the warehouse floor, beaten to a pulp and barely alive. "I…I actually thought that we were all going to die!"

"It's alright, Tohru-kun." Hana hugged her in an instant. "Besides, next time you're in a fix, just ask dear Kyo here to protect you. I'm certain he wouldn't hesitate to die for you."

"What?!" Kyo exclaimed. "Do you really think that I would've been a match for that creep?! I can't even win a match against that pipsqueak of an alchemist!" His retort caused Uo to whack him on the back of the head.

"Hey, be a man and suck it up!" Uo scolded. "Come on, we better get moving." She led the way down the hall to Ed's room.

Kisa walked alongside Tohru, silent for some reason. It was easy for the orphaned brunette to guess what was on her mind. They were all worried about what would happen to Ed if he was left alone for too long.

The Zodiac Member had told everyone that Ed kept waking up from nightmares for the past three nights, making it impossible for him to sleep properly. And there was something else wrong with him.

"Hey, Onee-chan?" Kisa looked up at Tohru worriedly.

"Oh, yes?"

"Um…can you bring Onii-kun some food that you made?"

"Why's that?" Kyo asked, looking concerned.

"Well, as far as I know, he hasn't been eating right lately, and I think he doesn't like the hospital food."

"Well, who wouldn't hate it?" Uo stated. "After all, nothing compares to Tohru's cooking."

"Indeed, maybe a taste of home would perk up his appetite." The psychic added.

"Well, if that'll help him, then I'll do it!" Tohru agreed. "I'll go home today and bring him something to eat before the visiting hours end."

"Uh…guys…?" Kyo's voice was suddenly tight with horror. They had reached Ed's room, but it was unoccupied. A tray of food lay untouched by his bed, and his slippers were gone. Tohru stood there, trying to make her legs move, but they were stone.

"The roof…" Kisa whispered, and as though it broke a spell laid on all of them, everyone suddenly dashed for the nearest staircase. They pounded up the flights of steps, their stomping amplified and their panting almost synchronized.

_"Please…"_ It was all Tohru could think. _"Please let us get there in time!"_

"I swear, if he jumps, I'LL KILL HIM!!!" Uo screamed.

"Then you'll only be granting him a favor!" The Cat reminded her.

The orphan could see the door leading to the rooftop just up ahead on the final flight of stairs, and it was wide open, letting in bright rays of sunlight. Before she reached the top step, she froze, as did everyone else. They all listened with shock as they identified the sound coming from the rooftop.

Edward Elric's soft, singing voice was drifting gently to their ears.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_"You're really pushing yourself Edward Elric."_ He kept telling himself. _"You made a promise and now you're close to breaking it."_

Ed groaned, pushing his head harder against the cold mesh fence surrounding the perimeter of the hospital roof. He curled his fingers through the holes, holding on to it tightly. Enjoying the coolness of it against his head, he breathed in the fresh spring breeze and watched what few clouds were in the sky sail by.

Unable to sit in that bed any longer, the alchemist had taken advantage of that fact that he could now walk around without opening his stomach wound to try and occupy his mind. There weren't any books Ed could use to get his mind off of his pain or the depression he was suffering from, so it wasn't helping. After wandering around the hospital aimlessly, his feet had carried him up the stairs and to the roof.

_"I wonder if…my body just wants me to die."_ The fence surrounding him was clearly to keep suicidal patients from getting any ideas and jumping off the roof. It wasn't going to stop a person like Ed, though. One clap and a simple transmutation was all it would take for him to part the mesh fence and fall to his death. Living was hard, and dying seemed so easy…

The alchemist turned his head to the heavens. Staring at the clouds reminded him of the day before he and Al had burned their house down. The weather had looked exactly like this.

Whether it was the painkillers from his automail surgery or the fact that he needed a way to express his guilt, strangely, that day, a song had formed in his mind. He recalled the words he had come up with perfectly, and he could remember the grassy hill he had been sitting on, looking out into the country horizon.

Al had heard him sing that day, and had joined in at one point. But now that he was gone, what was the point in going on? Even if he got back home to his world, what would he do if he had failed to save Al?

Sighing loudly, he began to sing.

"_**How can I repay you brother mine?  
How can I expect you to forgive?  
Clinging to the past I shed our blood,  
and shattered your chance to live."**_

"_**Though I knew the laws I paid no heed.  
How can I return your wasted breath?  
What I did not know has cost you dear,  
for there is no cure for death."**_

Ed abruptly turned his head away from the fence to prevent tempting himself to just transmute the fence and jump. Even though tears had started pouring down his face, just like on the first night, his voice was still steady.

"_**Beautiful mother, soft and sweet  
Once you were gone we were not complete.  
Back through the years we reached for you.  
Alas, twas not meant to be.  
And how can I make amends,  
for all that I took from you?  
I lead you with hopeless dreams.  
My brother I was a fool."**_

He paused for a moment to dry his eyes, taking in a few deep breathes. His brother had caught him at this point, and had joined in. But now that Al was gone, there was no one to sing with him. Letting out a shuddering moan, Ed continued.

"_**Don't cry for the past now brother mine,  
neither you nor I are free from blame.  
Nothing can erase the things we did,  
for the path we took was the same."**_

"_**Beautiful mother, soft and sweet  
Once you were gone we were not complete.  
Back through the years we reached for you.  
Alas, twas not meant to be.  
My dreams made me blind and mute,  
I longed to return to that time.  
I followed without a word.  
My brother the fault is mine."**_

His head jerked up to the sky, imaging Al and his mother up there looking down on him.

"_**So where do we go from here?  
And how to forget and forgive?  
What's gone is forever lost.  
Now all we can do is live."**_

Feeling emotionally drained beyond repair, Ed slumped against the fence, sliding down and onto his knees, feeling his tears flow freely. He whimpered as his fake shoulder joint starting aching, like the old wound just wanted to hurt itself. He clutched at it tightly, squeezing the cold metal. He wondered how long it would take for his body to become cold if he died…when he died…

Was there no way out of this suffering? Even with everyone's kindness, they just couldn't reach his innermost wound, where he was truly scared by the previous four years. They couldn't sooth it, and even though Kisa was a balm for his pain, it never left for long. Each time he woke up from a nightmare during the past three days, it was always the Zodiac Tiger bringing him back to his senses.

In all his nightmares, The Gate would taunt him with his brother's broken body, and all the Homunculi would dance around him, slashing and attacking him as he tried vainly to reach Al. Whenever he awoke in a cold sweat from these nightmares, Kisa was always there, shaking him awake and reassuring him that it was only dream. And whenever she would fall back to sleep, he would lie awake and refuse to fall asleep again. So far in the past 72 hours, he had only gotten at least 5 hours of sleep tops.

The Zodiac Member was becoming someone that he couldn't live without. And with her gone right now, the anguish and guilt crept back into Ed. It had already erased all his common sense.

His left hand automatically began to move down his arm, and close to his other one. Breathing in what he presumed was one of his last breathes, Ed prepared to clap his hands and perform the transmutation that would be the one to end his life.

Small, rapid footsteps suddenly sounded off as his hands drew closer together. He froze, for he knew those footsteps. A gentle hand then grabbed hold of his flesh one, and held onto it tightly, keeping it from reaching his metal one. Guilt and shame made him moan inwardly. Ed didn't look up from staring at his knees; he didn't want to see her hurt face.

Clearly Kisa had just witnessed his attempted suicide.

_"Please…help me…my love…"_ He squeezed her hand, acknowledging that he knew she was with him. A warm palm was pressed against his cheek, and began to caress it. Kisa then slid her hand down under his chin and pulled it towards her. Ed, still keeping his face hidden behind his curtain of golden hair, was now staring down at her legs. They drew closer.

"I'm here now, you're alright." She murmured. Relief was in her voice, along with fear. The Tiger tenderly placed his head down on her lap. Ed took a deep breath through his nose, and felt his pain melt away, as well as his awareness. He was feeling more exhausted than ever before. As his eyes closed, he just managed to give one last squeeze to Kisa's hand.

"Thank…you…" He whispered loud enough for his dearest to hear, and then fell into a blessedly dreamless sleep.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**Shigure Sohma's house, 4:30 P.M…**

"Honda-san?" Yuki walked into the kitchen with a few books under his arm, and instantly spotted said person at the counter. She was busy making rice balls and humming to herself, but she then turned at his entry.

"Oh, Yuki-kun, hello!" The orphaned brunette smiled in greeting.

"What are making these for?" The Rat asked. "It's too early for you to start making dinner." Tohru's face fell a little.

"Well, when I saw Kisa-san today, she had said that Ed-san wasn't eating correctly and that it might be a good idea for me to bring him some food I made here." She sighed slightly. "I guess….that he's still feeling down."

"Kyo told me what happened at the hospital." Yuki recalled. "If he resorts to…well, you know… just hours after Kisa leaves him, he must be doing well in the head."

Tohru, Kyo, Uo, Hana, and Kisa had found Ed on the roof, lamenting over what he had lost. They watched with astonishment, listening to his grief. When he had collapsed to his knees and was preparing to transmute the mesh fence, Kisa had broken away from the group and ran to his side. She remembered Hana commenting on Ed's inner voice, and how quiet it had suddenly become.

_'I think he's…dying…on the inside.'_ She had said with a sad tone, but then her face relaxed. _'Or he's…managed to push back the pain again. It must be because of Kisa-chan.'_

Tohru had been crying after truly grasping how hurt Ed was, and had watched tearfully as Kyo walked over to Kisa and taken the alchemist off her hands. After lifting him up off the ground and walking him to the rooftop entrance, they noticed he was asleep. To Tohru, the blonde youth had looked like a broken doll in Kyo's arms, tears streaking his face. After that, they headed home, nothing else to do now that he was out. Kisa had stayed with him, though.

_"I guess…when Ed-san's alone, he doesn't have anyone to distract him. Even though we all came to see him, and he knows that we still like him, it's still hard for him to let go of his guilt. Guilt that's been stored up in his mind for four years, and over time, it must've gotten more painful."_

"Honda-san, are you alright?" Tohru was pulled out of her thoughts with a jump.

"Oh, um…y-yeah." She stuttered, and finished wrapping up the Onigiri. "I'd better get going to the hospital before visiting hours end." The girl quickly placed them in her paper bag and walked out of the kitchen. She paused when Yuki laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, yes?" She instantly turned around to face him.

"I hate to ask Honda-san, but will you do me a quick favor?"

"Sure, what is it?"

Yuki held out the books he was carrying. "I went out and bought these today after the student council meeting ended. Could you deliver them to Elric-san when you get there?"

"Certainly, I'd be happy to!" She said with a smile, and looked down at the covers of the books. "They're all science books."

"You know what he likes." Yuki responded. "Being stuck in a hospital is probably driving him crazy, so he'll need a way to keep his mind occupied. It might help prevent him from…" He trailed off, looking down at the floor.

Tohru nodded in understanding, turning around and grabbing a light jacket off its hook.

"I'll be back in time to make dinner, see 'ya!"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

**Hospital, 5:00 P.M…**

"Excuse me?" Tohru called out to the secretary, who looked up from her work. "I'm here to see Edward Elric."

"His father's with him right now, but you can go see him."

"Okay!" Tohru hurried down the hall, humming to herself again. Her mind ran through all the events that had happened over the past few days.

_"Even though school has been so easy lately, everything else has been so hard. I can see the reasons why Ed-san didn't want anyone to find out about his past, and the reason he's hurting so much right now. But…what does he want to do now? If it turns out that Alphonse-san isn't alive, and he goes back to his own world with nothing there for him, what would he do?"_

The brunette was so wrapped up in her thoughts that when she rounded the corner down the next hallway she bumped into a hard body. Rubbing her nose, she looked up at the man to see it was Ed's old man.

"Oh, H-Hohemheim-san!" She bowed. "I-I-I'm sorry, I didn't see you there! I'm so clumsy."

The elderly alchemist smiled down at her. "It's alright. Are you here to see Edward?"

"Yes. I brought him some food from home because…he isn't eating much." She sighed in worry.

"He can sometimes be a little picky about what he eats." Hohemheim told her. "But I think he's having a difficult time swallowing food without gagging too much. I asked him a little while ago if he was going to eat his dinner, but he just shook his head and said he wasn't hungry. For some strange reason, not even Kisa could coax him to eat something. She left a little while ago, because she had homework to do, apparently."

"I'm so worried about him." She murmured, fidgeting a little. "And this is going to be his first night alone here."

"I heard about what happened earlier today." He said with a groan. "That boy can be so reckless, stubborn too."

"He's just really upset, and doesn't know what else to do." Tohru added. "Maybe…he feels stuck. Like he can't find a way to move forward." She fell silent. Hohemheim gave her a reassuring pat on the head.

"Nevertheless, I think that it would be a lot worse for him right now if he didn't tell you about those four years he and Alphonse spend looking for the Philosophers Stone. After all this time, Edward might have needed to get everything off his chest."

"I just hope he can start smiling again soon." Hohemheim smiled gently at her, and started on his way back to the entrance. Tohru continued down the hallway, thinking about what Hohemheim had told her.

"Hello?" She called into Ed's room softly. The alchemist was sitting cross-legged on his bed, staring out the window and watching the sunset, his back to her. Ed's long hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He turned, wincing slightly, at the sound of her entry. Tohru's attention was immediately drawn to his face, and fear clenched at her chest.

His eyes looked dead.

The molten gold depths had faded into a deep, sickly yellow, and there were dark shadows under his eyes. His skin looked stark in contrast to them. Had he already given up on everything?

"Hey." He muttered in an unemotional voice, shifting his body so he could face her without twisting his neck too much.

"Hello." She bowed politely, and smiled at him. "I brought you some Onigiri, and Yuki-kun went out and bought you some books to read." She reached into her paper bag and pulled a rice ball out. Ed smiled back, but it didn't look real.

"You're the greatest, but I'm not hungry." He said.

"Please eat." Tohru begged him. "You hardly eaten lately; and I don't want you getting sick." Tohru sat down and looked at him pleadingly.

With a long sigh, Ed plucked the rice ball out of Tohru's hands, and bit the tiniest bit off the top. He chewed slowly for a moment, but then swallowed and then took a bigger bite, as though suddenly realizing how hungry he was. Within thirty seconds, he had finished off the first one.

"Thanks so much." He said with a full mouth, grabbing the next one out of the bag and shoving it whole in his mouth after swallowing.

"If you want, I can bring you more food tomorrow." Tohru offered. "I know you don't hospital food, so if you have any requests, just ask me."

"I might do that." He said after eating the third one. "I hate hospital food." He spat.

"And you need to find a way to get some more sleep." She glanced at the areas just below his eyes. "You look tired."

"I can't sleep very well." He admitted, laying down and rolling over so he faced away from her. "I…just keep having nightmares."

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked gently. "I hear it's good to talk about scary dreams."

"…no…" He muttered, and fell silent.

Tohru sighed in sadness, reached over and gently placed her hand on Ed's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. She could feel the hard metal underneath his scrubs. In response, he lifted up his flesh hand and placed it over hers, squeezing it.

_"He looks…so exhausted."_ She thought. "_This whole ordeal must be so hard for him. It's really strange to think that a few days ago, everyone was smiling and having fun. I just hope that we can go back to that time."_

She remembered when her mother had found out that she was being picked on by the other kids at her school. When her mother had confronted her about it, Tohru had broken down and started crying, apologizing for her weakness. Kyoko had just laughed comfortingly and hugged her daughter, telling her that it was OK.

_"Did he need someone to tell him that it's OK, and that the scary part is all over?"_ Tohru smiled down at him, feeling her eyes burn slightly. _"I think he did, and Kisa-san might've told him that. It is just like the time Mom found out I was being picked on. We found out that he had been hurting for so long, and he became terrified that we would reject him. He didn't want to trouble others with his problems, so he locked them away and never spoke of them."_

"_Over time, after he and Alphonse-san tried to bring their mother back to life, it must've gotten harder and harder for him to hold back that pain. I guess it was only a matter of time before he was overwhelmed by it. And now…he doesn't know how to be free of it."_

Another memory came into her mind of that day: her mother rocking her to sleep while Tohru cried, softly cooing a lullaby. She could still remember the words her mother sang to her. The words Ed had sung today also came to mind. The alchemist had been bereft of a mother's care for so long, now that she thought about it.

His hand was still holding onto Tohru's tightly, as though it were a lifeline, and by his breathing, she could tell that he was still awake. With deep breath and a kind smile, Tohru began to sing Kyoko Honda's lullaby to the alchemist.

_**"I was so happy when you smiled.**__**  
**__**Your smile breaks through the clouds of grey.**__**  
**__**Far from the sunny days that lie in sleep.**__**  
**__**Waiting with patience for the spring, when the flowers will bloom renewed again.**__**  
**__**Knowing there's more beyond the pain of today."**_

His hand began to lose its grip on hers.

"_**Although the scars of yesterday remain,**__**  
**__**You can go on living as much as your heart believes.**__**  
**__**You can't be born again, although you can change.**__**  
**__**Let's stay together always."**_

Ed's breathing evened out, and she could now hear his light snores. Gently pulling her hand away from his limp one, she pulled the blankets up over his shoulder. As she brushed his long hair away from his face, she could see the glimmer of tears in the corner of his eye. She reached out with one finger and lightly wiped it away.

Absentmindedly, she started to stroke his bangs, like her mother used to whenever she would fall asleep. His hair was getting longer, even if it did look a little unkempt. His face was free of the usual contemplative creases that would streak it whenever he read a book. He no longer looked like the mature adult he had been forced to become over a period of four hard years. No, he looked more like an innocent and hurt child now.

Which was probably what he truly was at heart.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Phew…

_**Uo:**_ NEW RECORD!! The author has successfully typed a 78 page chapter with over 22,000 words!

_**Envy:**_ Wow.

_**Tohru:**_ Congratulations!!

_**Kakaru:**_ Let's all go eat yakinabe and celebrate!

_**All:**_ Yeah!!

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Just for the record, I have no regrets for putting "For Fruits Basket" and "Bratja" into the chapter, but I do apologize if anybody has anything against it. They were both a huge influence in this chapter, so I deemed it fit to have them included. I hope you guys get the little 'connection', though. I also apologize if anyone seemed OoC in this chapter. Well, R&R if you want, and please don't kill me with harsh flames. One quick reminder to everyone, I won't be updating for a while or replying to any reviews. Our house is being refurbished so we're all staying at my dad's house until it's done and we can move back in. I might be gone for a month, and I don't get internet access up there so just know that I'm not pointedly ignoring everyone and all the wonderful reviews they leave. Oh well, see you next time! Bye!


	12. Parental Bonding

_**Authors Notes:**_ I apologize for the super-long delay…I'm so terrible T_T… I've had several band competitions get in my way, I was grounded for a little while when I was letting my Spanish 2 grades slip (therefore I lost my laptop), I got caught up in this really interesting book called _**"The Screwtape Letters"**_, ski season started earlier than I expected (YAHOO!), and I fell hopelessly in love with the symmetry-obsessed Grim Reaper from Soul Eater: Death the Kidd. So yeah, I hit a pretty big writer's block. GAH!! This would never have happened at Black Mesa!!! Nonetheless, it was nice to take a break from this story and let my mind calm down. Thank you so much for all the patience you've shown me. Oh, and happy 2010 everyone!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. The scenes that go in sync with the Fruits Basket manga also belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei. Everything else mentioned belongs to their rightful creators and owners. Plot belongs to me.

_**Inspiration for this chapter:**_ Feel Good Inc. by The Gorillaz (Mostly danced to it when I was bored), Numb by Linkin Park, Breathe Into Me by Red, The Best is Yet To Come from Metal Gear Solid, Jolly Roger Bay from Super Mario 64, What I Got by Sublime, Old L.A 2040 from Policenauts, Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love by Coldplay, Right Me Up by State Radio, and When I Look At The World by U2.

* * *

Chapter 12

Parental Bonding

**Kaibara Public High School, 3:00 P.M…**

"Hey Yun-Yun, I heard about Elric-kun, and that he's in the hospital right now." Kakeru called out to Yuki, looking up from his paper work. The student council members were assembled in the meeting room. Machi glanced up from her work over to Yuki, but he didn't notice. The Rat stared at "Flying-Pot-kun" in complete shock.

"How did you know about that?" He asked with wide eyes.

"I've got a friend whose dad works with the police." He explained, leaning back in his chair. "He said that there was an accident involving a gang of thugs attacking two people, and that a person named Edward Elric got seriously injured fighting them off."

"Ooh!" Kimi suddenly said. The girl stood up excitedly and started bouncing. "Kimi heard about that as well. Two people were attacked by muggers and saved by a youth with flowing blonde hair and scorching golden eyes." She sighed dreamily. "Now if only someone would save Kimi from horrors untold."

"Careful Kimi-chan," Kakeru warned her. "Don't go too far into your fantasies. You might tread were no mind should ever go!"

"What the hell are you going on about this time?" Nao groaned, wondering what Kakeru was up to.

"I'm talking about the fantasies that dominate people's minds when they're in love!" Kakeru ranted. "Their thoughts stray to the point where there's nothing left but dirty lust! And thus, they grow addicted to porn."

"Kakeru, we weren't talking about that, you got off the subject again." Yuki reminded him, annoyed.

"I bet Yun-Yun's mind is like that now!" He continued, ignoring the Zodiac Member. "He's been fantasizing about Machi-" Kakeru was then struck by two blows: One was a sharp, very well placed slap from Machi, and the other was a karate chop from Yuki. Kakeru collapsed to the floor, groaning.

"Innards…caving…" He choked due to lack of breath.

"You have serious problems." Nao sighed.

"Will you just shut up?!" Machi snapped at her half-brother, her face a very obvious shade of red. "I don't like taking crap from you!!"

"Calm down Machi." Kakeru got back up. "I was just joking."

"Didn't seem like that to me." Yuki replied darkly. Machi wisely decided to change subjects before something else happened.

"So anyways, how's Elric-san doing right now?" She asked Yuki.

"Wait, you know him?!" Kimi excitedly pranced up to Yuki. "Can you introduce him to me?"

"It's too late to try making moves on him Kimi-chan!" Kakeru replied before Yuki could.

"Awwww! Why!?" She complained. Kakeru paused for a moment before answering.

"Because," Kakeru said with a mischievous grin. "**He's pervin' on a thirteen-year-old girl right now**."

"Kakeru, I had to hit you to get us away from this subject, and I will do it again." Yuki added, but then he looked a little depressed. "No offense…but think that it might be a bad idea for him to…be introduced to new people…and…this isn't a good time for him to be under a whole lot of pressure."

"Whoa, what's with the depressed look?" "Flying-Pot-kun" asked. Yuki chewed over his words for a minute before replying.

"I'm…really not one to be saying this to other people, but…his little brother's gone…well…missing." Everyone leaned in closely to hear his mutter.

"What do you mean?" Machi asked.

"His younger brother, Alphonse Elric, went missing in an accident, and the knowledge left Elric-san in a sort of depression. He's still…upset…and we need him to rest so he can recover."

"Wow, the poor kid." Kakeru agreed, and stood up to leave, since he finished his work. "Just let me know when he's feeling better so we can hang out."

"Wait, what?" Yuki stuttered.

"Elric-kun's an awesome guy, Yun-Yun." He said. "You're lucky to know him as a friend." The Rat smiled. Just being able to have met Ed made Yuki very happy. Even though Ed was trying to get away from a lot of pain, he was still able to give Yuki courage, even if he didn't know it himself.

"Yeah…I am…" He smiled. Kakeru left, along with Kimi and Nao, and Yuki was left alone with Machi.

"So, like I said before I was interrupted, how's Elric-san doing?" Machi asked quietly.

"Excuse me?" Yuki didn't hear her properly.

"I asked about how he was doing right now." She looked up from her paperwork over to him curiously. "Are his injuries healing?"

"Yes, but it's going to be a while before he leaves the hospital."

"It's kind of odd that you didn't mention it a little while ago." She mused.

"Well, Elric-san doesn't like it when people fuss over him, and…" Yuki trailed off, but regained his voice a moment later. "He blames himself for his brother's disappearance and for the attack 5 days ago." Machi seemed pretty thoughtful.

_"Is…that what he was sad about?"_ She thought to herself. _"I guess it was."_

"Still, he's pulling through." Yuki brightened. "And he's cheered up some, too."

"That's good to know." In spite of herself, Machi managed a smile, but then it faded. "Y'know, on the day I met him, there…seemed to be a sadness in him, but it was difficult to see." Yuki somberly nodded in agreement.

"The accident that cost him his limbs was the same accident that he lost his brother in." The Rat groaned. "When you lose your ability to walk…and to lose a family member that you were so close to…must feel like the end of the world when you can't do anything about it."

"I'm actually surprised that he hasn't tried suicide yet." Machi muttered, and then gasped from shock when she noticed the dark look that crossed Yuki's face. "Oh God…he did…didn't he?" Yuki nodded once, keeping his face hidden behind his hair.

"He's…still really upset. I think that part of the problem is him being stuck in the hospital, so after school I'm going to talk to the doctors and see if they can let him out early." He smiled again. "We're sort of planning a little surprise for him when he gets out of the hospital."

"Really?" She raised an eyebrow while placing her finished work in the file cabinet.

"Yes. It's just a small trip, but I think it'll do some good for him." Yuki packed up his bag and prepared to leave.

"Where are you guys going?"

"Momiji opted for the aquarium downtown, but we're still throwing out a few ideas." Yuki turned to leave, but then spun around. "Oh, I almost forgot!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, decorated pouch.

"What's that?" She asked. Yuki held it out to her.

"Just a little something I picked up for you." Machi immediately felt her face burn. She opened it hesitantly and gaped at the small Mogeta paperweight in her palm. A slight squeal escaped from her lips.

"H-how did you know-" She stuttered.

"I was out shopping with Honda-san a little while ago when I spotted you across the street at the bookstore. You seemed pretty wrapped up in the Mogeta manga." He explained, and laughed inwardly at Machi's expression. "So I…figured I might as well get you something like that, to thank you for your hard work." Machi didn't reply at first, but held it close to her.

"Thank…you, President." She turned away and picked up her bag, trying to hide her red face. "I…need to get going. Do you want anything in return?" She asked sincerely. Yuki shook his head.

"No, just keep working hard and that'll be enough for me." Yuki prepared to leave the room, but first patted Machi on the head.

"OK…" She replied quietly, her cheeks now deeper in red.

"Hey Machi," The Zodiac Member asked as he walked out the door. "Let's go somewhere fun over summer break." With a huge grin on his face, Yuki left.

Machi waited another minute before leaving herself. Despite the embarrassing red color on her face, her heart was flying with joy.

* * *

**Hospital, 4:00 P.M…**

"Hello?" Kisa called into Ed's room. The alchemist was sitting in his bed, his undone hair illuminated in the afternoon sunlight. There was a TV in the room, and a video game controller in Ed's hands. He looked in her direction as she her entered, and smiled broadly in greeting. He paused and set down the controller.

"Hey Kisa." He said warmly. "How you doing?" She walked up to him and set the rose bouquet she was carrying on his nightstand. Inwardly, The Zodiac Tiger was leaping with joy.

Ed was looking much better than he had yesterday. His golden eyes had regained their bright glow and the dark shadows under them had all but vanished. But she still felt concern towards him.

"I'm fine. I passed all my exams, so that was a bit of a relief." She sat down in the chair by the bed. "But what about you? You're still looking pale."

She tenderly touched his cheek, checking his temperature. Just the light contact caused Ed's face to grow hot. The Zodiac Member immediately drew back. "You feel warm."

"I'm OK…" He immediately turned his face away in embarrassment trying to hide his blush. Kisa let out a worried whimper. Ed composed himself a second later, looked back and smiled apologetically. "No, really, I'm alright."

The Zodiac Tiger looked uncertain for another second, and then grinned back. "Well…if you say so, I believe you." She then glanced over at the TV. "What are you playing?"

"It's called "_**Kingdom Hearts"**_." Ed picked up his controller. "Haru lent it to me this morning, before he went to school."

"I've played that before. Hiro-chan got me hooked on the game." Kisa probably wouldn't have gotten through it without Haru's help. "It's very popular right now."

"No kidding." Ed commented. "It's a lot of fun, but I'm stuck right now."

"Have you ever played a video game before Onii-kun?" She asked before he resumed.

"Nope. I was clueless when Haru first showed it to me, but now I think I've got the hang of it."

Kisa inwardly sighed with relief. When he was alone, it was harder for him to keep his mind off his grief and pain. Being distracted like would help him tremendously. The Tiger made a mental note to talk to Haru about getting a hold of more games for the alchemist.

"Haru-nii's very thoughtful, isn't he?" Kisa said with a friendly smile, more as a statement than a question.

"Yeah, he's a great friend." Ed agreed, but then looked thoughtful. "He brought Rin over with him this morning. She said thank you for some reason."

"Well…I'm not the one to being saying this to you, but…" She began hesitantly. "About a week ago, Akito-san locked Isuzu-Onee-chan in the Cat's isolated room." Ed gasped quietly.

"He let her go the day he got out of the hospital, and she was able to get back together with Haru-nii." She shook her head. "I'm not sure why Akito-san's been acting this way lately, but I'm very certain it's because you saved his life." Ed groaned, obviously feeling guilty about the incident.

"Come to think of it," Kisa suddenly remembered with a guilt-ridden jolt. "I…never thanked you for saving my life!"

"You have nothing to thank me for." The alchemist spat coldly, wrapping his arms around his knees tightly. He kept his gaze as far away from her as possible. "It…was my fault you both were put in danger…and my fault you were nearly killed." He shuddered, and his voice started to break.

"If…Envy had actually killed you…I would've never forgiven myself. I'm so sorry Kisa…" He trailed off into a pained whisper. He buried his head into his legs, shaking.

"Onii-kun…" Kisa reached over and gently squeezed his hand. "I don't blame you at all, OK?"

Ed didn't respond, and just turned his head away slightly. He simply sat there, feeling terrible. Kisa lifted her hand off of his, and sighed sadly. Something then started tugging on the alchemist's long hair, which caused him to look up. He turned around to see Kisa lightly clenching a few strands in her delicate hands.

"Here," She said quietly, pulling out a hair tie. "Your…hair's undone." Ed remained silent as she gently weaved his hair together.

Ed could feel the gentle pulling as Kisa braided the long strands. He heard her soft breathing settle into a smooth rhythm; similar to a kittens purring. Kisa's lilac scent drifted around him. It made him feel sleepy, and he started to drift off. The alchemist closed his eyes and visions of meadows filled with wildflowers danced behind his eyelids. Blue skies, a light breeze on his face, clouds rolling along the horizon…a kind, sweet and very loving smile from a tawny haired girl in an aqua blue summer dress.

Her hair waved with the wind in a hypnotic pattern. Green grass at her small, bare feet rippled with it like ocean waves. The chocolate vats that were her eyes glittered in the sunlight above. The Zodiac Member gazed at him with sweet affection and kindness. Ed almost immediately felt a blush attack his face. Had she always been this beautiful?

"Onii-kun?" Kisa's concerned voice cut through Ed's fantasy. With a jolt, he returned to reality.

"Huh?" He spun around to see The Zodiac Tiger had finished with his hair and was staring at him, puzzled.

"You looked like you were out of it for a moment, are you OK?" Ed smiled at her reassuringly.

"I nearly fell asleep, sorry." He laughed slightly. In turn, Kisa smiled back, her rich brown eyes sparkling.

Ed knew that was probably what he fell in love with first: her eyes.

"_I really 'gotta stop fantasizing."_ He scolded himself. Kisa then interrupted his thoughts.

"Y'know, I..." Kisa began hesitantly. "I honestly don't blame you. None of us were killed, and everything turned out alright in the end. I have no reason to angry with you."

Ed groaned inwardly, wondering why everyone just wasn't blaming him for the incident with Envy. Kisa then bowed low.

"Thank you for saving my life Onii-kun." She straightened up and grinned. "I won't forget this ever." Ed, unable to resist, treated her to a lopsided grin.

"Yeah, sure." He said, just happy to leave the subject. It was quiet for a moment before Kisa jumped onto a completely different topic, probably to avoid an awkward silence.

"You said you were stuck earlier, would you like me to help you?" She offered, holding out her hand to take the controller. Ed smirked, picked it up and handed it to her.

"I can't find any Gummi Blocks." He admitted. Kisa smiled, knowing where to go next, and resumed the game.

* * *

**One week later…**

Kureno slowly opened the door to Akito's room, calling in quietly. The Zodiac leader wasn't in there, for some reason. To the Ex-Bird, this was becoming normal, but that didn't mean he liked it. Akito was hardly seen on the Sohma grounds during the day, let alone in her room. The strange thing was that she wasn't telling Kureno where she was going to, and that was confusing.

It was as if she wasn't relying on Kureno as much anymore.

"Looking for Akito, are we?" Kureno spun around to see Shigure standing behind him.

"Yes, the maids said he had paperwork that he needed to do and that I should let him know. But he hasn't been here a lot." He explained. The Zodiac Dog chuckled slightly.

"Akito's been at the hospital this past week, in case you're wondering where he's been going." He said, which caused Kureno to start slightly.

"The hospital," His eyes widened. "What for?" Shigure smiled.

"Do you remember when Akito was kidnapped?" Kureno nodded. "He was saved by that guy Haa-san told you about." The Ex-Bird had heard about Ed from Hatori, but hadn't given the idea much thought. Kureno shrugged.

"Yeah, the kid from a parallel world, was it?" He tilted his head to the side slightly.

"Apparently Akito feels that he needs to repay Ed-kun for saving his life," Shigure told him. "But Ed-kun won't fully accept Akito's thank-fullness. He blames himself for the entire incident, and as a result, Ed-kun tried to kill himself. Poor kid just wants to try and repay everyone for all the 'trouble' he caused."

"I'm amazed you can say such things with a straight face, Shigure." Hatori walked into the hallway, giving The Dog a dark glare. It caused a shiver to travel down his spine.

"Ah, H-Haa-san, we were just chatting, that's all." He said nervously.

"Be nice to Ed-kun if you see him at the hospital, Shigure." He warned him, with a slight hint of desperation at the edge of his voice. "He's…going to break if people say the wrong things to him."

"Oh my, Haa-san's so scary!" Shigure playfully hid behind Kureno's back. "Protect me!"

"Shigure, I'm being serious." Hatori said angrily. Kureno waved off Shigure and walked back down the hall.

"I think I'll go pick up Akito later." He muttered. "But right now, I have work." After he had left Hatori turned to Shigure, who was staring after the Ex-Bird with a strange expression on his face.

"So," The Dragon began casually. "Did everything go as you had planned?" The other Zodiac Member looked over at him in surprise, but then smiled in slight satisfaction.

"Well, everything turned out the way I wanted much sooner than I would have expected them to." He mused. "I never would have thrown Ed-kun into the equation before now. Personally, I was worried that all of my plans were going to go awry after he showed up. And nobody could have guessed what was coming two weeks ago, during that incident with Envy."

"You didn't seem all that worried about Akito when he was kidnapped by that…thing… Homunculus, I think was what Ed-kun called it." The doctor pointed out. Shigure merely shrugged.

"Well, if I didn't remain fickle, I was afraid that I was going to burst." He sighed, and scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "But…I do feel bad about a lot of things. Originally, my plan was to use Tohru-kun to get what I wanted, but I never would have thought that Ed-kun would've produced far better….results. Still, even if I had known, I wouldn't have used him." Hatori smiled at him, in spite of himself.

"You just didn't want to drag the poor kid into your affairs because you feel indebted to him, don't you?" He said. The Dog chuckled.

"Well, he is the son of the man we owe a lot to."

* * *

**Hospital, 3:00 P.M…**

"You're Akito, am I correct?" The head of the Sohma family started at the sound of someone calling her name. Her gaze jerked from the door to Ed's room over the person who had spoken.

"Why, yes. How did you know?" She asked shyly. The old blonde man laughed slightly.

"I heard about you from Shigure. He told me about you the night you were attacked." He sighed. "And…I'm sorry that you were dragged into this affair. It was my fault you were put in danger."

Akito had left the main house alone to visit Ed (much to the surprise of Kureno, who was currently at home working and had no idea where she was). She was still uncertain about the alchemist forgiving her actions that easily. It just didn't feel right. The Zodiac leader felt as though she needed to find a way to atone for the pain she had caused the others. Watching over Ed seemed like a good way to do this.

Ed had been in the hospital for almost two weeks now. Even though he was eating and sleeping properly now, everyone was still on the jump. It was possible for him to try to hurt himself again. Hatori had guessed that the blonde youth needed time to fully get over everything he had been through to feel better emotionally.

Akito had wanted to help in any way she could, so she was taking it upon herself to keeping an eye on Ed while the others were at school. Not that any of them knew about it.

"Um… I don't understand." She replied with wide eyes. "Who are you?"

"Oh, forgive me." He straightened up and held out his hand. "My name is Von Hohemheim. I'm Edward's father."

"Oh!" Akito remembered that Ed told her about him on one of her now frequent visits to the hospital. She bowed and shook his hand a little nervously. "Y-yes, I'm Akito Sohma, and I'm also the head of the Sohma family. But…" She looked up at him. "What do you mean by 'it's your fault'?"

"That creature that attacked you and Kisa," Hohemheim began, sitting down in a chair in the hallway. "It was my creation. Envy was a Homunculus that I created five hundred years ago…and he was my son."

"Look, it's…OK." Akito protested, holding up her hands. "You don't have to apologize. Everything turned out fine in the end. And I don't have any reason to blame you." The aged alchemist shook his head and groaned.

"You don't understand." He told her. "I need you to listen to me…"

It was half an hour later when Hohemheim finished his tale. The Zodiac 'god' listened with shock as he described the horrors of making Philosophers Stones, what Envy actually was, and why he and Ed were in this world in the first place. When Akito didn't reply or comment when he ended his story, Hohemheim spoke again.

"So…again I'm…sorry you were dragged into our quarrel. This was between me and Envy, and no one else." Akito sighed.

"Look, I've…had my share of sins, too." Her voice shook, eyes burning. First Ed was blaming himself for her injuries, and now him? Her bruise had healed, and the mark had vanished. Didn't she deserve punishment for everything she had done?

"I just want you to know that this whole affair isn't your fault." He reached out in an attempt to comfort her, but she swatted his hand away.

"I forgive you, OK?" She snapped quickly, keeping her eyes on the floor. "Just stop blaming yourself. It's not fair that…you take all the blame." Ed's old man was quiet as Akito tried to keep the salt water in her eyes. She then heard Hohemheim chuckle.

"You're a strange one, and I hope I don't sound offensive in asking this." Akito looked up at him in spite of herself.

"What do want to know?" She tilted her head to the side slightly. Hohemheim thought over his words carefully before speaking again.

"Are you into cross-dressing or something, 'cause it seems odd that someone like you would dress like that." Stunned silence followed his comment, and it was clear that Hohemheim was trying not to burst out laughing at Akito's astounded expression. She then shook her head hopelessly.

"Why is it that I've got everybody else fooled except for you and Ed?" She asked, more to herself than to the old man sitting next to her. Hohemheim ruffled her hair playfully.

"Maybe because Edward and I know what a man and a woman should normally look like?" He guessed. "But whatever your reason for dressing like a boy, it's your decision."

"It wasn't my decision." She muttered. "My mother decided that I be raised this way. There were going to be a lot of complications if the head of the family was female."

"Akito-san?" Tohru's surprised voice cut through their conversation, and the head of the Sohma clan jumped, whipping her head in the direction of where the voice was coming from.

The orphaned brunette stood there staring at Akito and Hohemheim sitting together in the hallway, the latter smiling in greeting. Behind her were two other girls, one with long black hair, and the other with blonde hair. Both stared at Akito perplexing.

"Hello Tohru, Arisa, Saki." He said kindly to each of them. "I was just having a nice long chat with Akito here." He gestured over the Zodiac leader, who looked away in embarrassment.

"H-hi." She stuttered. Being around Tohru had never felt awkward for Akito before. It was downright impossible to look at her. Akito kept her gaze averted, even as Tohru walked up to her and bowed in greeting.

"So, are you here to see Ed-san?" She asked, her tone not even displaying a hint of hesitation. Akito had already visited the alchemist, and had planned to leave before anyone else arrived.

"I've…already talked with him." She muttered.

"Sorry for distracting you." Hohemheim apologized with a small laugh. "Guess I got carried away."

"I remember you." Hana said to her. "You were at the warehouse that night." She smiled at her. Akito gathered up as much courage as she could, and finally looked over at Hana. It was hard to keep her gaze steady.

"I'm…Akito Sohma." She said nervously.

"The head of the Sohma family, correct?" Hana guessed. When Akito nodded, Hohemheim turned over to Tohru.

"Let's leave these three alone to get acquainted." He said with a smile, steering a baffled Tohru into Ed's room.

"W-wait!" Akito called out, but it was no use. She nervously turned back to the other two girls in the hallway. Hana walked up to her and bowed.

"I don't think we were properly introduced." Hana said politely. "My name is Saki Hanajima." The blonde girl stepped up.

"I'm Arisa Uotani." Akito gasped at the name. She remembered Ed mentioning her in one of their conversations the past week.

_'So you see,_ _Uo's in love with Kureno, but she can't be with him. I understand why you won't allow that, but…it must make her pretty sad.'_

"Look…" Akito began quietly. "I don't know what he and the others have told you about that night two weeks ago, but…his injuries…they're my fault." She admitted, feeling completely guilty and trying to buy some time for her to find the right words. It was silent for a moment before Hana spoke again.

"Elric-kun doesn't blame anyone for the accident." She told him. "I think…the more you, no, everyone, blame themselves for this whole mess, the more he's going to blame himself." Hana gained a determined look. "We have to help him move beyond this whole thing, and blaming yourself is not going to do any good for him."

Akito didn't respond. She stood there, chewing her next words carefully. Finally, when she had worked up enough courage, she turned over to Uo.

"I…heard about Kureno." The Yankee's eyes widened with shock, but then she shook her head hopelessly.

"Are you serious?" She muttered, more to herself than Akito. "Ed shouldn't be worrying about others, let alone me, at a time like this."

"Yet he does." Akito said somberly. "The first time I came to see him this week, he asked right away if my bruise had healed. He's…he's just like Kureno." She started sobbing a little.

"I-I've hurt…Kureno so many times…I…chained him d-down…I walked all over him!" She cried. "But he…doesn't blame me…he wasn't angry, or accusing…and he…didn't walk away from me when I-"

"I see now." Hana said understandingly, interrupting her. "You're a woman, right?" If Uo wasn't trying to process what Akito had just said, she would've burst out laughing at Akito's blank shock. The Zodiac 'god' slumped against the wall.

"Does everybody outside the Sohma family have to figure it out?" She mumbled. Hana didn't laugh, but smiled slightly.

"Kureno-san mentioned that he had 'someone to be there for'." Hana recalled the night she had found Tohru on the street. It seemed so long ago, now. "You're that person." Uo stared at Akito for another minute, and then tears pooled in her eyes.

But before Uo broke down, all three heard some sort of scuffling sound coming from the hospital room just across the hallway from them. Rapid footsteps sounded off, and Tohru burst through the door. Uo and Hana immediately focused on her expression: sacred and worried.

"Akito-san, we need a doctor, quick!!" The Zodiac Leader strode up to Tohru quickly, fearing the worst. Her two friends hurried over.

"Tohru, what is it?" Uo asked rapidly, not wasting any time. She took a deep breath before replying.

"It's Ed-san! I-I think he's sick!!"

"Someone get me some ice!" Hohemheim's deep voice commanded urgently. Uo sprinted down the hallway, while Tohru turned the opposite direction and began her search for a nurse. Akito hurried into the room with Hana and over to the hospital bed. Hohemheim was sitting in the chair by his son, a worried expression on his face. The other chair that Tohru was obviously sitting in earlier was overturned due to her fast movements. When the head of the Sohma family had gotten Ed into her line of view, she gasped at his state.

The alchemist was lying down flat on his back. He looked up at her with weary eyes as she approached him, his gold irises dull with pain and exhaustion. Sweat poured down his face like tiny streams. His breath was almost silent wheezing, and his cheat fought for air. Despite all this, he managed a small smile when he spotted Hana and Akito.

"Hey Akito; hi Hana." He greeted with a harsh, struggling voice that grated with each syllable.

"You look terrible." Hana commented.

"I'm OK…" Ed breathed. "I'm just(huff)…having…a little trouble(huff)…breathing…" he trailed off into a racking cough. Hana reached over and pressed her hand against his forehead.

"You're burning up, Elric-kun."

"It's(huff)…nothing." He protested. "Just a...fever."

"Edward, I told you that you were pushing yourself too hard." Hohemheim of Light scolded him.

"I've got ice!" Tohru ran back into the room with a small plastic bag. "And Uo's getting the nurse, so you'll be just fine, I promise!" She quickly pressed it against his forehead. Despite his condition, Ed still managed to smirk up at her.

"I'm not dying." He half-laughed weakly, reaching upward and lightly rapping his knuckles against her forehead playfully. "Don't worry…I plan (huff) on sticking around…for a long time."

Tohru didn't respond, but moved her hand over his metal one and squeezed it tightly. Another hand placed itself on hers. When she looked to see who it was (expecting it to be Hana) She couldn't help but start slightly. Akito had taken hold of the fake appendage with her. Hana stepped forward and looked down at him straight in the eye.

"Try to go to sleep, OK?" She told him gently. "You need to save your strength." Ed groaned, but was perfectly willing to comply with her orders.

His amber eyes traveled over the people standing over him. Akito, the person who had given him a home when he needed one; his father, who had helped him back on his feet; Hana, a strange person but still a friend; and Tohru, the girl who did so much for him without ever asking for anything in return.

"Thanks (huff)…everyone." He managed. Weariness from his fever was taking over now, and his eyes began to close. But despite the fact that he know knew so many people willing to take care of him and help him walk forward, it wouldn't fill the hole that still existed in the core of his soul.

The gaping hole that still grieved and ached for his little brother.

The alchemist's head rolled to the side slightly and his eyes shut. The pained grimace on his face faded as his facial muscles relaxed, making the skin smooth again. Before falling asleep, one word escaped his lips. "…Alphonse…"

* * *

**The next day…**

"So, he needs to stay in the hospital longer?" Haru repeated. Everyone was sitting on the school roof chatting when Yuki brought news of Ed.

"Yes." He answered. "Apparently, there was an infection in one of his wounds. When it closed up, it spread through his body and now he's gotten sick."

"How bad is he?" The Rabbit asked, looking over at him.

"Well, Ed-san's got a fever, and he's coughing a lot, too." Tohru said with a concerned tone.

"You shouldn't worry too much Honda-san." Yuki reassured her. "It's just a fever. All we need to do is wait for it to run its course and then he'll be better.

"Well, I for one am savoring the time he spends in that hospital." Kyo said contently. "I don't have to worry about him jumping around the corner and using me as a punching bag."

"But, he doesn't do that anymore." Tohru protested. Kyo smirked.

"As far as your knowledge goes he doesn't."

"EH?!"

"What, does he still beat you up?" Haru asked casually, though a hint of laughter was in his tone.

"Only when Kyon-sama the Dim asks him to," Yuki taunted. "He keeps challenging him to fights and always ends flying out the door or being transmuted into the wall."

"I don't ask him to fight me, I try to ambush him!!!" Kyo yowled, throwing his hands up in frustration. "There's a difference!!"

"Then that's basically asking him to fight with you Kyo." Momiji laughed, earning a pound on the head.

"WAH! Kyo hit me!" He complained.

"Just for the record Momiji," Haru pointed out. "I don't that's going to make anyone come to your rescue." He was cut off when the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch break.

"Well, there's the bell! Gotta go!" Momiji sprang up and trotted to the door back inside. Kyo shook his head hopelessly.

"Where does he get the energy?" He muttered, and followed Haru down the stairs. Tohru lingered for a moment, packing up her bag.

"Yuki-kun, it's time to go back to class." She called behind her, but then stopped when she saw him standing by the fence surrounding the rooftop perimeter, staring off into the distance.

"Is something wrong?" She hurried up to him. The Rat started as if he had just been jerked out of his thoughts, and turned in her direction.

"No, I'm fine." He said with a small smile, but then it faded. "I was just thinking, about, y'know, what everything would be like if that incident with that…Envy person hadn't have happened."

"What do you think it would be like?" Tohru asked.

"Well, think about it." He mused, his voice soft with contemplation. "We would all be going about our daily lives, since nothing would have happened, of course. But…would Elric-san still be hurting? If none of this had happened, would he still have kept his pain and guilt locked away?" He fell silent for a moment. Tohru let this sink in.

"I'm actually…really glad that we found out about Elric-san's past." Yuki spoke again. "If we hadn't, who knows how much longer he would have been able to hold out."

"What do you mean?" His companion whispered.

"It's best to deal with your grief and pain as soon as it strikes you, but when you seal it away and try to forget it, all it does is get stronger over time. And eventually it gets to the point where you can't stand yourself anymore. After that, all you want to do is die to escape it."

"If none of this had happened, we might never have known the true depths of his pain and loneliness. Then…maybe one day…he might've ended up 'wandering off' and never come back."

"You mean…he would have…" Tears pooled in the corner of her eyes. "Maybe we would have thought that he had found a way back to his own world, when in reality he had just left us to…and we would have never known." She hastily wiped her face.

"I'm sorry Honda-san." Yuki patted her shoulder. "I didn't mean to make you upset." She shook her head.

"N-No…" She protested. "It's just fact. (Sniff) I'm so glad that Ed-san's dealing with his pain right now, and that he knows that we're with him."

"The doctors promised me to let him out as soon as his cold clears up." Yuki said. "Then, everything can go back to the way it was before." Tohru managed a weak smile.

"I'm so glad…everything's turned out OK…for all of us."

* * *

**Hospital, 3:45 P.M…**

Soft, golden rays of the afternoon sun filtered through the white curtains partially covering the window. The room was lit by that light with a gentle orange hue. As if fitting to the relaxing atmosphere, slow, breathing filled the room, drifting to Akito's ears.

The Zodiac leader sat cross-legged in her cushioned seat, occasionally fidgeting to a more comfortable position. Her face was staring down at the blonde youth sleeping peacefully on the bed. His mouth was open slightly, the creases that usually accompanied his thoughtful look all but vanished, and his hair a complete tangled mess.

Reaching out, Akito took hold of the now dry cloth lying on his forehead and dipped it in the bowl lying on the nightstand. Small ice cubes floating in the water brushed against her hand while she swirled it around in the metal bowl for good measure. After pulling it out and wringing it, The Zodiac Member folded the cloth into a neat rectangle and gently placed it back on the alchemist pale, sweaty forehead.

His fever had gone up another two degrees since that morning. Now it was at 104 F, which frightened Akito. He'd get worse if his fever went any higher than it was currently. The Sohma family head sighed with worry.

"Akito-san?" Tohru Honda's voice made her start. She swiveled around to stare at her. There she was indeed, still in her school uniform, a brown paper bag held tightly in her arms. A shy blush attacked her face. What was she supposed to do in this situation?

"How's Ed-san doing?" She calmly walked over to Akito's side, looking down worriedly at the alchemist. Akito shook her head sadly, trying to keep her gaze away from Tohru.

"He's getting worse." She stated, feeling very nervous but managing to keep her voice steady. "The doctors said that he was unable to sleep last night on account of his fever, so they had to drug him so he can get some rest."

"I'm so worried about him…" Tohru murmured. She sat down in another chair, placing the paper bag on the nightstand nearby.

Silence stretched between the two for another 10 minutes. It felt completely different for both of them. Tohru didn't seem to mind the lack of conversation, while Akito was looking for the words she had wanted to say to Tohru for the past two weeks. Sucking in a steadying breath, Akito spoke at last.

"Um…Tohru…?" She began, and the orphaned girl turned towards her, ready to listen. "Listen…about that night…at the summer home, I…want to apologize for…you know…scratching your cheek." The Zodiac leader fidgeted in her seat again, keeping her gaze fixed on the sleeping blonde on the bed.

"Oh, it's alright Akito-san." Tohru responded in a reassuring voice. "I was sort of intruding on your, well…promise…when I had no right to."

"It's not a 'promise', not at all." Akito coldly spat. "It was…more like a prayer. I heard about Kureno. He told you his curse was broken, didn't he?" Tohru jumped.

"I-I…I'm sorry!" Tohru bowed hastily. "He just-"

` "Don't worry, I'm not mad." Akito said calmly. "I was just holding onto something that was eventually going to fade away. I guess…I was just desperate. I'm sorry that I treated you the way I did."

Another long pause stretched between them, only broken by the sound of Ed's ragged breathing.

"You've…changed…Akito-san." Tohru noted, but then panicked and bowed. "I mean, no offense, but…"

"It's fine." Akito took in another steadying breath, and finally gathered enough courage to look at Tohru. "The night…I was attacked…I was terrified that I was going to die. 'The world is a scary place' I thought. For a moment it only gave me more of a reason to stay within the Sohma Estate, and cling to the Zodiac bond. But then…" She trailed off.

"What?" Tohru pressed gently. The Sohma Family head gestured down at Ed.

"He came, and put his life on the line to save us. I…was going to be stabbed, but he jumped in front of me and took the whole blow in my stead." She started to break down again. "I-I then saw…that just like…t-the world is filled with scary people…there are kind people."

"Akito-san…" Tohru was tearing up, much to Akito's shock. "I'm…sorry that I interfered with your life."

"Don't be." Akito sniffled. "I'm glad that...all this happened. I see now…that if none of this had happened, I would still be locked away inside my delusions."

"Delusions?" she asked, surprised at her word usage. The Zodiac 'god' nodded somberly.

"I…was told by my father that…I was the 'one' everyone was waiting for, that I was born to be loved. It…twisted me…and I was always clinging to that bond like a lifeline. But now, it's as if my eyes are clear…and I can see now. Maybe…all it took was for someone to risk his life me. I'm just not sure how to explain it." Once again, Akito was quiet.

"Ed-san…is so kind." Tohru commented after another minute. She gazed down at the blonde youth with warmth in her eyes. "He doesn't want anyone to get hurt on his behalf, so he works so hard to protect them. I've always thought of Ed as a person who carefully watches over everyone to the best of his ability, and when the time comes that someone needs him, he's there for them. I guess doing that has really left him drained, so now it's our turn to look after him."

The head of the Sohma family let these words sink in. Everything she had said was true. Akito opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off when Tohru spoke again.

"Y'know, maybe that desire to help others…comes from wanting to protect his brother." She wondered. Akito shrugged.

"Who knows?" She murmured, and then took a moment to work up her next question.

"Hey, um…" She rubbed the back of her head shyly. "Why exactly…did you talk to Kureno?" Tohru started, but then composed herself and spoke nervously for the first time.

"Well, um…you know…my friend Uo, she's well…"

"She's in love with Kureno, right?" Akito finished, and could tell that her face was blank with shock even without looking at her. "Ed told me. I guess Kureno wanted to tell you why he couldn't be with her."

"Uh huh." Tohru nodded slowly. "And um…he also told me that…um…you're…" She was cut off when Akito groaned.

"Am I just not allowed to have secrets?" She asked herself, rolling her eyes annoyingly, prompting Tohru into another panic attack.

"Eh!?" She stuttered. "W-well, I…um, that is-"

"Ed figured out I was a girl the first time I came to visit him, and Jii-san figured it out yesterday, as well as your two friends." The Zodiac 'god' sighed through her nose.

"It's fine, just don't tell anyone." Akito stood up, wanting to avoid any more questions. "I'm…going to have a talk with Kureno tonight, and see if we can sort all this crap out."

As the Zodiac Member walked out of the room, Tohru called back to her.

"Um…Akito-san…" she hurried to catch up with her before she left. "If it's alright with you…um...whenever we're alone…can I…?" She trailed off, as though embarrassed.

"What? Spit it out." Akito snapped slightly with impatience. Tohru took a deep breath.

"Can I…can I call you Akii-chan?!" She finished in a hurried sentence. Akito was silent for a moment, then tried to choke back a groan.

"Fine…" She muttered, shaking her head. "Just don't…let anyone else find out." And with that, Akito shut the hospital door behind, and began walking down the hall to the exit.

_"I'll have to have a word with Kureno…and with Uo when I get the next chance…and maybe Shigure."_ She thought, her heart pounding. She shook her head roughly to get rid of the sensual wave that clenched at her body.

_'Can I…can I call you Akii-chan?!'_

"Akii-chan…hmm…"

* * *

**Shigure Sohma's house, 5:30 P.M…**

"Honda-san?" Yuki's eyes widened in surprise as Tohru walked into the kitchen. Both he and Kyo were helping themselves to some heath cola. "You're back awfully early. Did something happen?"

"No, Ed-san was asleep when I arrived. The doctors drugged him so he could get some rest. But Akito-san was there."

"Seriously?!" Kyo said in shock. "Why would someone like Akito take the time to visit Ed? He hates him."

"You really are stupid." Yuki muttered, dodged Kyo's punch, hit him back, and then asked. "Have you not been paying attention at all? Akito's…changed."

"He's a lot different from when I first met him." Tohru added. "I guess it must be because Ed-san saved his life."

"From what Shigure said, the 'inside' people are pretty confused about Akito's behavior as well." Yuki pointed out, still pinning Kyo down with one foot, while The Cat screeched insults at him.

"GET OFF OF ME!!!" He screamed. Yuki glared down at him, but nonetheless stepped off of his fellow Zodiac Member. "What the hell was that for?!

"For being stupid." The Rat replied simply, but then turned back to Tohru. "Well, whatever Akito's reasons for behaving like he is now is his business."

"I suppose…" Tohru murmured, but then tried to cheer herself up. "But we can't really afford to be depressed right now, so we have to try and be as strong as possible for Ed-san!" Yuki smiled at her, always impressed by her positive attitude.

"Ah Tohru-kun," Shigure purred, waltzing into the kitchen lazily, as though he had all the time in the world to do things. "You're so energetic all the time. It's so wonderful for you to think of others like the way you do." The orphaned brunette immediately turned red, and backed away, stuttering shyly.

"T-Thank you Shigure-san!" She bowed low. "But you don't have to say such things on my account."

"That's nonsense, Tohru-kun." Shigure scolded her lightly. "I have every right to complement you don't I?"

"Well I-"

"Just ignore him Honda-san." Yuki told her, pushing Shigure away from Tohru with ease. "He's just being an idiot again."

"And what, you're the only person in this house who isn't an idiot!?" Kyo yelled at him after he got off the floor.

"That's not true Kyo-kun." Shigure replied for him. "Everyone is an idiot in their own way. But never mind that, let's forget about it and try to enjoy the evening."

"It's almost time for dinner." Tohru noted, glancing at the clock. "What do we want to eat?"

"Stewed leaks." Yuki immediately requested, which made Kyo attack him again. The Rat ignored his fellow Zodiac Member, blocking his attempts to land a blow with one hand, and turned back to Tohru. "By the way, Ritsu called earlier. He said he's taking a break from training and wants to come visit us." Tohru started bouncing.

"Wow! And he'll get to met Ed-san too!" She said joyfully. "I haven't seen him in a while, how's he doing?"

"He's gotten a lot more confident as far as I know." Shigure commented. "As a plus, I heard that he's stopped dressing as a girl."

"Well, that's a relief," The Rat noted. "I don't want Elric-san to get the wrong idea if Ristu looks like a woman."

Kyo, who had been thrown into the nearest wall, stood back up, grumbling, and stormed off. Shigure shook his head sadly.

"Poor Kyo may be stuck in that rebellious phase forever."

"That's not entirely true Shigure; he has gotten a little more mature and doesn't blow up over everything." Yuki reminded him, smiling a little. "If it's anyone who hasn't grown up, it's you."

"Oh, how cold of you to say that, Yuki-kun!" Shigure exclaimed with exaggerated movements. "Why must you be so mean?"

"Because you're an idiot." He retorted.

"Here we go with the idiot conversation again." Shigure sighed.

* * *

**Hospital, 8:00 P.M…**

"_Hot…hot…why's it so hot?" Flames lapped at Ed's body, consuming every square inch with angry wrath. His senses were practically scrambling around in his head, which made it impossible to comprehend anything beyond the dull ache of his body and the heat rising from it. The only thing he could tell was that he was lying down, but on what, he didn't know._

_Where was he? He couldn't figure out the right actions that opened his eyes. As an added bonus, he couldn't feel anything other than the fire erupting from all his pores. He was breathing, that much he knew, but the air he inhaled was humid, tinged with something sharp that only burned his nose even more._

_After he managed to get his mind back together, a wild theory threw itself together unbidden._

"_Am I…dead? W-wait! I can't be dead! No!" He screamed mentally, unable to speak on account of not knowing how to work his mouth. Panic rose in his chest. Had he died in his sleep? Was he in hell?_

_The thought scared him into semi-awareness. His body sat up automatically, and his eyes finally remembered how to open. Thankfully, the alchemist was safely in the hospital room. Clenching at his chest, he tried to steady his panicked breathing. He was still alive; the active fan blowing cool air onto his sweaty skin nearby told him so._

_The relief was short lived when the shadows in the room moved, dancing around him and twisting themselves into grotesque forms._

"_W-WHAT?!" He cried aloud, having found his voice. Shadows left their respective objects in the room, all coming together to form a black puddle on the tile floor. From it erupted a small, wriggling sphere with no form whatsoever. The dark ball spun and swirled into a single, narrow oval shape. The center of the shadow cracked open, revealing a single, bloodshot eye staring at him. Ed backed away in horror, pressing up against the headboard of his bed._

"_Edward," The voice of The Gate exploded into his ears. "You foolish little human. Why are you still alive?"_

"_Get away from me!!" He shouted, tearing his face away from the terror in front of him._

"_You can't escape me." The eye twisted and bended into another shape, and when it stopped, thousands of hands writhed from the pool of darkness on the floor. "Your life is mine!" The arms charged with that warning._

_Survival instinct took over before rational thought. Spinning around in a flash, Ed leaped out of the bed, threw his window open, and jumped._

* * *

**Main House, 8:45 P.M…**

"…So, other than that incident, nothing else has happened while you were gone, Ritsu." Hatori turned the corner of the hallway, looking for Rin. She was improving tenfold, but Hatori still had her on some medication to ensure she didn't get sick again. He had been searching for her when he had bumped The Zodiac Monkey, just entering the Main Estate and, surprisingly, wearing men's clothes. The former cross-dresser nodded.

"I've heard about Edward-san from Ayame-niisan." He remembered. Hatori smiled.

"I'm actually glad you weren't here when it happened." The Dragon said in relief. "Any one of us could've been taken hostage when Akito and Kisa were kidnapped. In the end, nobody was killed."

"I'm so happy that everyone's safe." Ritsu, with his nature, began to tear up a little. "I don't know how I would've taken it if someone had died."

"Well, everything's alright now." A sound drifted to both of their ears, coming from the room nearby: Momiji's room.

"Is that a violin?" Ritsu recognized the noise on the spot. Both men rounded the corner to the bedroom, widening their eyes at the sight before them.

There were 6 people in the room, which was interesting considering the small size. Haru was sitting nearby a flat-screen TV with Rin, who was simply observing him mash the buttons on his Playstation 3 controller. Sitting on the large bed was Kagura and Hiro, the latter watching Haru play his video game.

Kagura eyes were for Momiji, who was gently drawing the bowstring along his expensive violin. With him was Kisa, and when he stopped playing for a moment, she pointed to a spot on the music sheets that lay in the stand before them. Momiji then pulled out a pen and starting scribbling something on the half-blank sheet.

"What are you up to Momiji?" Hatori walked in, The Monkey right behind him. Everyone turned at their fellow Zodiac Members' entry, and a mixture of emotions appeared before the two. Kagura, Kisa, and Momiji smiled broadly, Hiro raised an eyebrow, whilst Rin and Haru remained indifferent.

"Ritchan!" The Zodiac Rabbit quickly but carefully put down his instrument and hurried up to their fellow Zodiac Member. Kisa and Kagura followed.

"Hey, what've you been up to?" Kagura, friendly as ever, hugged him tightly. "You look great, too!

"Oh, I'm just dropping by to visit for a little while." Ritsu explained. "I-I hope I'm not in the way."

"I can't believe you stopped dressing like a girl." Hiro remarked. One thing that clearly hadn't changed about Ritsu was his panic attacks.

"_**I'M SORRY!!! DID YOU NOT WANT ME TO STOP?! Forgive me for not considering you feelings, Hiro-kun!!"**_ The Monkey yelled.

"Chill out." Hiro scolded him. "I was just stating my opinion."

"Y-yes." Ritsu replied. "I'm s-sorry."

"Stop apologizing!" Hiro snapped.

"_**SORRY!!!**_"

"Hiro-kun, stop that!!" Kagura yelled at him. Hatori, in the meantime, was offering Rin her medication.

"Here's the rest of the medication I've prescribed you." He handed her a tiny bottle of green pills. "It's not too much, so when you finish this, you'll be off meds for good, depending on your condition at the time."

"Yeah, yeah." The Horse muttered, reluctantly taking the bottle. Haru patted her reassuringly on the head.

"Don't worry; you'll be better in no time." He said matter-of-factly.

"Whatever." Rin shrugged it off, leaning against Haru's shoulder.

"So, what's everyone up to?" Ristu asked. Momiji hurried back to his violin, picking it up and getting it back into position under his chin.

"Momiji-chan's writing a song." Kisa explained. "And I'm helping, a little."

"I don't see why you have to get it done in one night." Hiro sighed, annoyed by the Rabbit's over-enthusiasm. "You can get it done whenever you want."

"But I have to finish this before the spark of inspiration burns out." Momiji complained, but then started bouncing. "Someday, I'll have my own concert for everyone, and I'll play this song just for Ed-chan! The song's for him, after all."

"Have you come up with a name for up yet?" Haru asked, glancing over his shoulder. Momiji shrugged.

"Kisa did. She calls it 'Requiem of an Alchemist'." Kisa shyly shuffled her feet.

"I-I just thought it would fit Onii-kun well." She admitted, turning red in the face from self-consciousness.

"Well, how far have you gotten?" Hatori asked, curious about Momiji's ability to compose. The Rabbit pulled up his bowstring and prepped it on the violin.

"I'll show you." Haru paused his game, and the room grew quiet. With a deep breath, Momiji began to play.

Momiji's self-composed song struck cords in them, as they imagined that this was possibly what Ed's life was like before he met the Sohma's.

The song started out lightheartedly, peppered with the joy of childhood. It spun visions of rolling green hills and blue rivers behind the eyes of others. But then it ended, morphing from happiness to fear: the fear of loss and the unknown. It grew strong again after another minute, filled with the pain of Ed's automail attachment. The song grew faster, the fury of protectiveness for one's family flowing from the strings, but then it calmed into the sorrow and acceptance of death as Ed gave up his life for his brother. He stopped before the end, panting slightly.

Like before the song began, the room remained silent. The 7 Zodiac Members stared at Momiji in amazement. Nobody spoke until Ritsu dared to, his voice quiet.

"M-Momiji-kun," He whispered. "H-how…"

"That was wonderful Momiji." Hatori stepped up and patted him on the head. "I'm certain Ed-kun will love it." Momiji smiled broadly.

"Well, the idea for the song just sort of hit me after we went to see Ed at the hospital." He shrugged, and quite suddenly The Rabbit was surrounded by the others, who praised him for this accomplishment. The only ones who stood by were Rin and Hiro. Nonetheless, they were both smiling to themselves.

"Do you think you should play it for Ed-kun when he gets out of the hospital?" Haru asked. "Might make a nice gift for him."

"No, I'd rather wait until it's completely finished and I've had a chance to polish it up." Someone's cell phone rang and, instinctively, everyone shut their mouths. The phone rang again, and Hatori glanced down at his pocket.

"It's mine." He pulled it out, flipping it opening. "Hello?" The doctor started to exit the room so he could talk in private, but he then froze.

"What are you talking about?" His voice was filled with concern, which made his fellow Zodiac Members glance over. The Dragon was quiet, listening to the person on the other end of the phone, and then gasped in shock.

"Ed-kun's gone?!"

* * *

**City Streets, 9:00 P.M…**

_The world was twisting and contorting itself into a realm that scared Ed far more than anything he'd seen yet. The Gate had him trapped in a place where there was no hope of escaping death itself._

_What once appeared to be the street that Ed normally walked down on his way to the library was now a river of shadows, eyes, and blood. Winds that were usually sweet smelling from the late spring flowers now stank of rotting corpses. The sky was stained black: no stars, no moon, and no clouds. Just utter blackness. It was a place that, in a dream world, would cause someone to wake up the moment the monster caught them._

_The thing that chased Ed was all too real._

_A black, shadowy mass was right on Ed's tail, engulfing everything else in its path. The alchemist knew that if he wasn't running fast enough, it would swallow him in its depths and take him back to the icy cold void of The Gate._

_Every fiber of his body, right to the core, was screaming at him to run faster. But his feet had reached their speed limit. His breath came in ragged pants, sweat rolling down his face. It did nothing to quench the fire that burned his entire body. Only survival instinct was keeping him going right now._

_"Still running, fool? Just give up and die!!" The deep, taunting voice of the black mass behind him once again attempted to grab him, shooting out the writhing hands of the dead. It was in vain, as Ed rapidly turned in another direction in an ally way. In one single bound, he leaped over the fence blocking his path. As he cleared the fence, however, his flesh foot scraped along the barbed top, cutting it clean open._

_Ed had to hold in his anguished scream. He landed with a dull thud, wincing painfully, and took a qiuck look at his injured heel. Red liquid poured out of the gash like a river. He had no time to do anything about it, for the voice of the monster sounded off not too far away from him._

_"Where'd you go, alchemist?!" It called. "I promise it won't hurt!"_

_"Gotta keep going!" Ed mentally shouted. He raced down the sidewalk in a different direction, ignoring the white-hot pain in his foot, hoping to lose the monster. He weaved between the streets and buildings, until he was sure that he'd lost it._

_At long last, he stopped running for a breather somewhere in the local park not too far from Shigure's house. The entire place was dead. Flowers, trees, grass, and plants had withered into shriveled, brittle sticks. The bodies of the animals that once lived in the park, from squirrels to birds, were littering the ground, reeking of death. The smell made Ed gag._

_Short of breath, he collapsed to his knees and tried to steady his heartbeat. The stab wound from two weeks ago ached, but hadn't opened. The tiniest part of his mind that wasn't blank with fright remembered that the doctors had declared that the wound had healed enough and he could be let out of that hospital as soon as his fever cleared up. _

_Finally, the overwhelming, terrible scent of dead bodies in the air got to him. His stomach churned violently, sending up the lunch Tohru had brought to him the previous day. The alchemist retched painfully when the small meal of Onigiri and ramen forced its way out of his mouth. When he stopped heaving, a sickening taste was left in his mouth, almost enough to make him vomit again, if there was anything left. His limbs shook, but he held himself steady, trying so hard not to fall forward into the pool of nasty smelling bile before him._

_"Edward." A voice, dead and raspy, reached his ears. His head shot up, eyes widening with fear and freezing him to the very core. His eyes focused in the limping, pale figure ahead of him just by a fork in the park path. Her chestnut brown hair was matted with dirt and blood. The green eyes she had, once bright with warmth, were lifeless. The purple dress clinging to her bony figure had been ripped and burned in some places._

_"M-Mom?" He mouthed, unable to speak. What little strength he had recovered vanished from his legs. They wouldn't move, or rather, they refused to. The corpse continued to approach him._

_"Edward, why did you turn me into a monster?" She asked, her voice nothing but a faint whisper. "Why did you try to bring me back to life?" Tears of blood poured down her once pretty face._

_"Big…bro…ther…" He whipped around. There, sitting in the dead, coarse grass, was Nina; but not the Nina that had played with Al when they worked with Shou Tucker._

_It was the chimera he had made out of both her and Alexander._

_"Ed…"_

_"Why?"_

_"Ed…"_

_"Edward…"_

_"It hurts…"_

"_Why?"_

"_Help me…"_

_From behind every tree emerged human figures, all of them pale and covered in blood. They were practically walking corpses. Lifeless eyes stared at him, boring into his tormented soul, twisting it even further._

_He shook with fear, trying to get up and run, but his body wouldn't obey his commands. All he could do was sit there and watch them get closer with each agonizingly slow step. They were all pale, but Ed could distinguish a few. There were Ishbalans, Amestrian soldiers, and people from the city of Lior. With a terrifying jolt, Ed realized what they were._

_They were the humans that were victims when the last Philosophers Stone was created._

_As if synchronized with his thoughts, they spoke. The many voices overwhelmed him, each one striking him with more and more guilt and fear._

_"We…made up the Philosophers Stone…"_

_"It hurts…"_

_"Our lives…were used when you were…brought back…"_

_"Help…"_

_"Save me…"_

_"You are alive…because of us…"_

_"Why?"_

_"We want…our life back…"_

_"Save us…"_

_He wanted to run, he wanted to throw up again, he wanted to scream he wanted to cry, and he wanted to die. He wanted to do something other than sit there unmoving, paralyzed and numb. So he moved his mouth to try and speak. All that came out was a rough mumble._

_"Get away…" Just speaking seemed to stir something into movement; his legs, fortunately enough. He slowly began to crawl away._

_"Why Edward?"_

_"Help…"_

_"I want my mommy…"_

"_Shut up!" Oh, how glorious it was to be able to shout at them; how glorious it was to move again._

_"Edward, help us!" The corpse of his mother was closer than before, reaching out to him with a starch white hand. "Please bring me back to life!"_

_"__**SHUT UP!!!**__" He screamed to the heavens. He ducked his head, using his fingers to plug up his ears. "__**SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUUUUUUUUUUUUT UUUUUUUUUUUPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**__"_

_They couldn't exist. This had to be a dream. They couldn't touch him because they couldn't exist. This entire twisted realm had to be a nightmare._

_But why wasn't he waking up?_

_A shadow loomed over him, threatening to swallow him whole. He didn't dare look up, already knowing what it was. _

_The Gate had found him, in this place of the walking dead._

_With a scream that came from the very pits of his lungs, Ed smashed his hands together with an echoing clap, and slammed it to the ground. Blue lightning shot from under his palms. The ground beneath his knees rumbled, and stone pillars shot out from every direction. It wasn't going to be an effective method for getting away, but he had to do something._

_The screams of the corpses, sounding very alive, for some reason, reached his ears, but he couldn't distinguish who they belonged to._

"WHOA!!!!

"EEEEEEK!!!"

"HOLY CRAP!!!"

_He stopped transmuting, certain that he had fended off the servant of darkness. He simply sat there, panting, unable to move any muscles, although every instinct he had was telling him to move._

"Is everyone OK?!"

_Haru?_

_No, it couldn't be. Why would he be here is this grotesque, deathly world that The Gate had thrown him into? He was the only one here, alone and waiting to be caught by death._

_He then tried to catch his breath from the drawback of that massive transmutation he had performed. It had rendered him immobile, which scared him. How long would it take for him to find the strength to stand up and run before the shadowy mass attacked again?_

_Footsteps, quick and light, unlike the slow ones of the corpses, approached him warily. He didn't bother lifting his gaze from the ground. It felt as though it would take too much effort. Besides, the footsteps didn't sound like the ones of the walking dead. Finally, the feet stopped in front of him._

"Hey, are you alright?"

_Every fiber of his being tensed. Unlike the previous ones, this voice rang out with crystal clear clarity. He knew this voice; he knew the face that it belonged to._

_And he knew it was real._

_Of course Al would be here. He was dead, after all, by Ed's own hand. But that didn't mean he wanted to look up. Why would he want to see the pale, mutilated face of his younger brother? It would break him for good, and the only thing he would have the will to do was just wait for The Gate to find him once again and kill him._

"Hello, Earth to Ed!" _That was weird; the younger Elric never sounded that annoyed too often. Then again, this whole place was weird, right?_

_With a deep breath, knowing now that he had nothing else to lose, Ed lifted his gaze up to his younger brother._

_He was his 10 year-old self again. Not the armor Ed had trapped him in, nor the dead corpse Ed had envisioned him to be just a moment ago. He was his flesh-and-blood self. Al's sandy blonde hair, a few shades darker then Ed's, drooped slightly over the right side of his face. His childish face, just starting to show to the slightest signs of maturity, looked healthy. He was wearing the clothes that he wore the day they attempted to bring their mother back to life._

_For one brief, insane moment, Ed believed that Al was alive._

_The alchemist stared, and his little brother stared right back. The expression on his face was slightly annoyed, but was definitely concerned. He was kneeling before him, among to rubble of Ed's panicked transmutation._

"Ed?" _He asked, tilting his head to the side slightly. Then it hit him._

_This wasn't Al. This was just an illusion The Gate was causing to torment him. Or maybe it was just a lure so Ed could let his guard down. But up to this point, he didn't care. He was trapped here anyway, so he might as well just give in. The blonde youth dropped his gaze again, waiting for the shadowy mass from earlier to consume him._

"_Just get it over with already." He spat coldly, his voice just barely above a whisper. "Kill me."_

"Uh…" _That was all that Alphonse said. Silence stretched between them. Neither Elric moved, the older one waiting for death to descend upon him._

_Ed heard his younger brother shift slightly, and a hand, warm and reassuring, placed itself on his shoulder._

"Ed, are…you feeling OK_?" He didn't reply, keeping his mouth shut firmly. It was quiet for another moment, until slow footsteps sounded off behind Ed. Fear paralyzed him. Clearly, those corpses had gotten back up._

_Whichever one had gotten up slowly approached him, Al holding him firmly where he was. Ed didn't bother moving. He just sat there and waited._

"Ed?" _Alphonse said one more time. "_Hello?_" When the alchemist, once again, didn't reply, Al pulled away slowly and got to his feet. After the younger Elric moved away, everything moved in slow motion for the blonde youth._

_The first thing he heard was the sound of someone moving very fast along the ground. Every muscle in Ed's body prepared to retaliate. His body moved on its own from instinct. Just as he sat up to try and elbow-jab whoever was behind him, an arm wrapped itself around his shoulder, yanking him backwards._

_Ed let out a shocked cry, but it was abruptly cut off when something soft pressed itself against his mouth. His nose was filled with a thick, cloying scent filled with chemicals, but he couldn't name them. He breathed them in as he gasped in shock. Right as the alchemist began to struggle against the hold, his vision went blurry. Suddenly, dizziness overtook him, disabling all his senses. His body went limp, relaxing into the arms of whoever was attacking him._

_He sank into a deep, black ocean._

* * *

**City Streets, 15 minutes ago…**

"Ed-chan!! Ed-chan, where are you?!" Kagura repeatedly called out. The streets echoed emptily with her calls. Haru, hurrying beside her, shook his head.

"It's no use calling out, that might scare him off."

"He's right, ya' know." Momiji added. "Hatori said that, according to the doctors from the hospital, Ed-chan's hallucinating from fever, and that's why he ran off."

Shigure had contacted Hatori after receiving a call from hospital. A nurse had come in to check on Ed to find that the window had been opened and the alchemist was gone. Apparently, the drugs wore off too quickly, causing his fever to rise again. When the hospital doctors called Shigure, they suggested that they search near his place (while they check out the other end of town), in the instance Ed had run from the hospital to go home.

After Shigure called, they agreed to split into groups. Haru, Kagura, Momiji, and Hiro were search party 1; Shigure, Hatori, Kyo, and Yuki, were search party 2. Kisa had gone over to Tohru's house to stay with her in-case Ed did come home. Rin stayed at the Sohma house if he had gone in their direction.

"Man, how can someone with such little legs move so fast?" Hiro complained. "And how are we even going to catch him if we do find him?" Haru turned in his direction.

"Tori-nii gave me these." He pulled out a small bottle filled with clear liquid and a white cloth from his coat pocket. "This is chloroform. Tori-nii usually uses this as an anesthetic, but it can knock someone out right away if inhaled."

"Wow! But how while we get Ed-chan to breath it in?" Momiji asked, eager as ever despite his worries for Ed.

"Simple, you soak a cloth with it and press it against someone's face. They'll pass out right away. It makes a nice knockout drug."

"Ooh!" The Boar exclaimed. "You mean like they do in the spy movies?"

"I think you're too big of a _**"James Bond"**_ fan." Hiro remarked.

"Hey, _**"James Bond"**_ is awesome!" Momiji defended. "My favorite is _**"007: Casino Royale"**_."

"I like _**"007: From Russia, With Love"**_." Haru added. "But I wanna see the new one that's coming out."

"Are we just 'gonna stand here discussing the _**"James Bond"**_ collection, or are we 'gonna get back to tracking down that pipsqueak of an alchemist?" Hiro scolded them. It had been at least half-an-hour since they'd started searching. It was getting dark, and by now, who knew where Ed could've run off to.

"You're right Hiro, sorry." Haru picked up the pace, jogging down the street. His fellow Zodiac Members followed.

The hunt went on for another ten minutes. The night was clear and the moon was bright, making it a little easier to see. A cool breeze was blowing as well. However, it didn't lift their spirits. By the time they reached the park not too far away from Shigure's house, it seemed like their search was futile.

"Damn, I'm tired." Kagura groaned, leaning against a tree trunk. "I hope this doesn't take too much longer."

"Don't worry, we'll find him." Haru reassured her.

Hiro plopped down on the ground, panting from their run. Personally, he was regretting not staying at home with Rin to make sure that if Ed wound up at the Sohma Estate, they'd be able to keep an eye on him there while they contacted the others. But then that would've made Kisa unhappy. If anything bad happened to him, she would be extremely upset. And, after all, Hiro just wanted to see her happy. He loved her that much. Even if it meant…

A flash of movement in the corner of his eye jerked him out of his thoughts. The Ram swiveled his head around so quickly he nearly bonked his head against the tree trunk next to him. Shaking off the close call, he peered closely at the area near a fork in the stone path. A figure was emerging from the trees, limping, clearly exhausted. Hiro gasped aloud.

"Guys, look!" He whispered, standing up and hiding himself behind the tree trunk. Everyone looked over to where he was pointing, and breathed a very audible sigh of relief.

"We've found him!" Momiji said happily, taking a step forward. Haru placed a hand on his shoulder to hold him back.

"Hold on." He said. "We don't want to scare him."

They all watched their favorite alchemist stumble onto the stone path, a small trail of blood following him. His foot was cut open. Even from a good distance away, they could hear him gasping unevenly. He fell to his knees, obviously trying to catch his breath, but then he started coughing violently, throwing up whatever he had eaten earlier that day. The bile hit the ground with a gross-sounding _splat_.

Kagura let out a worried whimper, but didn't move. They watch him for another moment, relaxing when they saw that he wasn't going to collapse. Then, quiet surprisingly, his head jerked up, staring straight ahead of him as though someone had called to him. Briefly, confusion flashed across his face, but then changed into an expression of pure terror.

He stared, petrified, at some unknown horror only he could see. His breathing hitched, and his eyes seemed to grow rounder by the second.

"I think Hari was right." Momiji commented. "He's hallucinating. Maybe he thinks he's being chased by something, and that's why he fled from the hospital."

"But Tohru-kun said that he had enough medication to last him the night." Kagura reminded him as Ed whipped his head around to stare at another untold fear. Whatever he was seeing, it was scaring him to death.

"We can argue later!" Haru opened the bottle of chloroform and shook some of it out onto the white cloth. "This might be our chance."

Very sure not to make a sound, Hiro followed The Zodiac Ox out onto the path. There were fortunate enough that Ed was staring in a different direction. They could see him trembling violently. Haru was about halfway to him when a rough whisper escaped his lips.

"Get away…" He, very slowly, starting backing away from whatever he was staring at in terror. Haru paused briefly, holding out an arm to stop The Ram. Hiro heard Kagura whimper again.

"Listen to me Hiro." Haru muttered to him. "When I give the word, you run up and see if you can-"

"Shut up!"

Ed's voice rose in an interesting manner, and the two Cursed Members were close enough to see that his scrubs were soaked through with sweat. How long had he been running?

A scream of utter terror suddenly came from Ed, as the alchemist rapidly jammed his fingers into his ears. _"__**SHUT UP!!!**__**SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUUUUUUUUUUUUT UUUUUUUUUUUPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**__"_ Haru got close enough that his shadow was looming over Ed. The blonde youth abruptly stopped screaming, a new kind of fear crossing his face.

"Get out of there! Now!" Kagura called out. Hiro knew what was coming. Ed wouldn't just sit there and let whatever invisible force attacking him let it hurt him. Quickly, he grabbed hold of Haru's arm and dragged him back to the trees. He didn't waste a single second.

With another scream of anguish, the alchemist tore his mismatched fingers out from his ears and clapped his hands together. As soon as he slammed them into the ground, an echoing boom resounded in their eardrums. At the same time, a shockwave erupted from the very earth itself. Lighting danced around Ed as the transmutation did its work. Stone pillars shot up from the ground, striking the area were Hiro and Haru stood not two moments ago.

The shockwave reached them, knocking all of the off their feet and sending Hiro tumbling down onto the stone path again, just narrowly missing one of the pillars as it sprang from the gray stone.

"WHOA!!" Momiji clung to the tree trunk for support before he hit the ground. Kagura let out a shrill shriek of fright when she hit the ground.

"HOLY CRAP!!!" Haru yelled to no one in particular.

The transmutation stopped after the shockwave vanished, in the very heart of the rubble knelt the alchemist, panting even harder than before. Even so, Hiro didn't dare move, ignoring the ache of his back. He stared dead blank at the stone pillar that just was just barely an inch from his nose. If he had landed any closer to it, and Hiro would've been impaled. Nobody even breathed as they await Ed's next actions. The alchemist didn't move a muscle. Finally, Haru dared say something.

"Is everyone OK?!" He called out.

"Yeah." Kagura said weakly, getting up and rubbing a sore spot on her arm.

"I-I think so…" Momiji steadied himself, leaning against the tree for support before he let go.

"Hiro?!"

"I'm fine!" Hiro got to his knees, grunting with pain. His gaze traveled over to the alchemist, who was currently doing nothing. Hiro remembered that whenever Ed did a transmutation like that, it exhausted him. Maybe now would be the time…

Carefully and quietly, he stood back up and warily approached the blonde youth. Behind him, he heard Kagura call out to him worriedly.

"Hiro-kun, what are you-"

"Hold on a moment!" Hiro whispered through gritted teeth. After conquering a few feet, he picked up the pace, finally stopping before the alchemist.

Ed didn't look up, or even give some sign to acknowledge him. He stared at his knees, gasping for air. Slower than he was moving earlier, Hiro knelt down in front of him. From the edge of his vision, he could see his fellow Zodiac Members watch his every move with wide, fearful eyes. Daring to take another step, Hiro spoke to him in a comforting voice.

"Hey, are you alright?" He asked, trying to remain calm. Ed tensed, and likewise, so did Hiro, ready to flee if he attacked again. His fears were proven wrong when Ed neither moved nor breathed. Hiro wondered if he passed out, sitting up like that. That would not be a good thing. This began to scare him, and his prickly nature got the better of him at that moment.

"Hello, Earth to Ed!" He called, making sure not to be too loud. In the corner of his eye, Hiro saw the others flinch away, but The Ram stood his ground. Finally, after another agonizingly long moment, Ed glanced up.

In the few moments Hiro got a good long look at Ed's face, a flurry of emotions passed across it, one after the other. A small part of Hiro's mind that wasn't focused on his various expressions acknowledged the harsh details of Ed's face. His eyes were wide with fear. The long, once well-kept blonde hair was tangled and dirty, ringing his face that was painted red from fever.

The first emotion to appear on Ed's face was fear, even deeper than from when he had been screaming earlier. Hiro stared right into the depths of his pale, yellow eyes, trying to keep a straight face. The fear was chased away after Ed studied The Zodiac Member carefully and replaced with amazement. Hiro could even see something like joy in his eyes. What was he so happy about all of a sudden?

"Ed?" Hiro, out of habit, tilted his head to the side slightly in curiosity. The strange emotions vanished after he said that, and sadness took its place. There was even some anger. Ed dropped his head down; a sign of submission.

"Just get it over with." His voice sounded rough, but at the same time flat and empty. "Kill me."

"Uh…" Was all Hiro could get out. Did he just say what The Ram thought he did?

At a complete loss for words, Hiro glanced over to his companions for help. Kagura and Momiji were fidgeting, like they were unable to keep themselves from dashing over and pulling Hiro away from the unstable youth. Haru looked at Ed, and then back over to Hiro, who nodded.

The Ox picked up the cloth laden with anesthetic, and carefully navigated hid way over the rocks. All Hiro had to do was keep Ed distracted a little longer.

"Ed, are…you feeling OK?" He asked calmly, hoping with all his heart that the alchemist didn't flinch away when he placed a hand on his shoulder. Ed didn't move again, simply sitting there and waiting for judgment to swoop upon him. Haru got closer, and the alchemist finally reacted by tensing again, but he still didn't move.

"Ed?" Hiro tried again, trying to buy a little more time. "Hello?" Once again, Ed remained silent. Haru was standing right over him. The Ram stood up and backed away.

The Zodiac Ox lunged forward, wrapping an arm around Ed's neck so he wouldn't hurt himself if he struggled, and struggle he did. Haru mashed the cloth against Ed's mouth, muffling the surprised yelp that just couldn't escape his lips fast enough.

"MMMFF!!!" He fought to be free from the Ox's grip, but his best friend held on to him tightly. Hiro watched as Ed's thrashing suddenly grew weaker. His body went limp, eyes rolling into the back of his head as the drugs took effect. Within another second, he was out cold.

"Thank God..." Haru breathed in relief, letting go of Ed and laying him on the ground. He looked over to The Zodiac Rabbit and Boar. "Ed-kun's out!"

The pair of them had been standing there by the tress, petrified to the core, as they watched the events unfold. But, as if Haru had released a spell on them, they relaxed and hurried over, taking care not to trip over the rubble.

"Ed-chan must've been so scared." Kagura said tearfully. She glanced down his legs. "His foot's bleeding. We can't stay out here, it'll get infected." The Zodiac Boar grabbed hold of the fabric of her pants and pulled. A loud rip sounded through the air as the edge of her pant leg was torn off. Not wasting any time, Kagura wrapped the material around the deep gash Ed's foot, hoping with all her heart that it would stop the bleeding for a while.

"Momiji, call Tori-nii. Then call Honda-san and the Main House." The Rabbit quickly flipped open his cell phone, speed dialing Hatori's number. "Let's get him to Sensei's house." He carefully picked up the alchemist and hoisted him onto his back, Ed's arms unconsciously wrapping themselves around Haru's neck. The Zodiac Member took hold of the back of his legs to keep him steady.

"…so we're bringing him back to Shigure's house." Momiji said over the phone. There was a pause as Hatori responded. "Yes, you were right Hari, Ed-chan was hallucinating about something, and that may be why he ran off." Another pause. "I'll tell you all about it when we see you. We're not too far from the house, so we won't be long. See you soon." He hung up.

"What did Hatori say?" Kagura asked.

"That we should meet him at Shii-chan's house. He's not too far away from where we are now."

"Well then, we should start on our way." Haru began walking, but stopped short when Hiro pointed out something all-too obvious.

"Uh, Haru-nii, shouldn't we do something about this?" Haru needed a moment to understand what Hiro was talking about.

The stone pillars created from Ed's blind transmutation were still there. Fortunately, no trees were knocked down and most of the path was still intact.

"Oh…" Kagura said, chuckling nervously. "Soooooo...does anyone know alchemy?"

"Nope, the only thing we can do is leave it this way." Haru stated. "There's going to be some construction here in a few days, so people have been avoiding this area. We'll just get Ed-kun to fix it when he wakes up."

"I guess that works."

The Zodiac Members left the ravaged area of the park, Momiji talking on the phone while they ran. By the time he had finished his third call, they had reached Shigure's house. Tohru was outside waiting for them. She had been pacing the front yard restlessly, and had practically leaped out of her skin when they called out to her.

"Tohru-kun, we found him!" Kagura yelled when they spotted her making a rut in front of the house. When her head jerked up, all of them could see the tears streaking her soft face. Upon spotting the unconscious alchemist on Haru's back, she charged.

"ED-SAN!!!!" She shrieked with worry. Behind her, the door to the house banged open, and three people came sprinting outside.

"Elric-san!"

"Onii-kun!"

"My God, is he alright?!"

Tohru reached Haru first, holding onto Ed as The Zodiac Ox crouched down and lowered the alchemist onto the grass. He let out a low groan as the brunette placed a hand on his forehead.

"He's burning up, even more than this afternoon." She whimpered, while Kyo, Yuki and Kisa arrived where the others stood.

"Well damn," Kyo commented. "He looks awful, and his foot's really scratched up."

"How far do you think he ran before you found him?" Yuki asked, half-amazed and half-concerned.

"A good distance, but fortunately, not far enough to open his wounds again." Everyone glanced up at the sound of Hatori's voice. The doctor walked towards them, calm as ever, with Shigure right behind, who looked worried. When he reached them, the Zodiac Members all backed away to give him some room.

"Hatori-oji-chan," Kisa timidly asked, her voice shaking with fear. "Why did Onii-kun run away?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but I have a theory." The Zodiac Dragon pulled a small flashlight out of his coat pocket, leaned over Ed and pried open one of his eyes. The gold iris seemed dead blank as Hatori shined the light into it. Upon finding that his pupil diluted healthily, he spoke again. "I think he was given an inadequate amount of sedatives, so he woke up in the middle of the night due to his fever being too high. A sever fever can cause hallucinations, as you've seen in Rin's case, Honda-kun. As an added bonus, I don't think the medication for his sickness that he was administered agreed with his system."

"Hey, whenever that happens, don't people normally sue the doctors for maltreatment?" Hiro pointed out. Hatori shook his head in disagreement, placing two fingers against Ed's neck to check his pulse.

"Yes, but I don't think that we should do that. It might lead to some trouble if we're questioned about why he was hallucinating. And that might make them want to put Ed-kun in a mental hospital." Hatori pointed out, but then darkness crossed his vision. "But…if Ed-kun's not 'right' when he wakes up, we may have to put him in one."

"What do you mean by 'not right'?" Momiji asked timidly, and he was clearly afraid of the answer.

"I'll explain later." Hatori reached down and scooped the unconscious youth up into his arms. "His vital signs are normal. Let's get him to bed."

Everyone else waited downstairs upon arriving at the house while Hatori carried Ed up the stairs and to his bedroom (kept impeccably clean by Tohru even during his absence from the house). It didn't take him too long to wrap up his bleeding flesh foot in a bandage and disinfect it for the bacteria he might have picked up. He grabbed as many blankets as he could find and wrapped Ed up in them tightly, in addition to the ones on his bed. He came back a minute later, finding everyone else crowded around the table, silent as can be.

"Now Haru, Momiji, Kagura, Hiro, I need you to tell exactly what happened when you found Ed-kun." The Dragon asked upon entering the living room. The four in question remained quiet while everyone else turned to look at them. Finally, in a very soft voice, Kagura spoke.

"We...found Ed-chan in the park." She started almost silently, the rest of the group leaned forward to hear her words. "It looked like he had been running from something, 'cause he kept glancing around when he arrived where we were. Then he…fell down and..he threw up."

"I'm not exactly sure what he thought he was seeing, but then he just froze and didn't move." Haru took over, as The Zodiac Boar wasn't in the mood to continue. "He had to be hallucinating, since we were the only ones around. I thought it'd be a good idea to knock him out right there, so Hiro and I started approaching him."

"Before we got close he started talking, and saying things like 'get away' and 'shut up'." Haru paused. "Then he started screaming, and performed a transmutation. We barely got out of there in time."

"He practically destroyed the whole area." Hiro added, his voice more steady then the others'. "It was really weird. I tried again with the approach method, and he didn't attack me. He just looked at me like I was some sort of saint for a second, and then told me to just…get it over with and kill him."

"Why would he say that?" Yuki asked. Hiro shrugged.

"I don't know. I think he thought I was Death or something. So, after that, Haru managed to knock him out, and we came back here."

Hatori had listened attentively, nodding occasionally. Finally, when The Ram finished, he stood up. "Well, the only thing we can do now is wait for him to wake up, then we'll see if he needs to go back to the hospital."

"But Hari-" Momiji protested, but was cut off.

"I'm not worried about his physical state." He said. "It's his state of mind that I'm worried about."

"State of mind?" Kisa repeated.

"In some cases, when people go through traumatic experiences, either emotional or physical, their minds will automatically shut themselves down to repair the damage. After rendering themselves unconscious, they either fall into a coma or have a case of amnesia. Ed-kun may remain catatonic for an extensive period of time, and if that happens, we'll have to take him back to the hospital to be put on life support until he wakes up. Or his mind may wipe itself to deal with the trauma. If that were to happen, we may not know whether just the memories of tonight are erased, or every single one of them."

"You mean Ed-chan won't be able to remember anything?" Kagura asked worriedly. Hatori nodded.

"If Ed-kun loses all his memories, then the best thing for him would be to remain here. Since the best thing for someone with amnesia is to be in familiar surroundings, it's more likely that he'll regain his memories." He finished with a deep sigh, standing up. "It's late, and we need to go home. I'm counting on you to take care of him, Honda-kun."

"Um…OK…" She agreed quietly. The doctor reached into another coat pocket and pulled out a small bottle of pills.

"See if you can get him to take one of these. The medication he was on in the hospital did no good for him, so a different type might help lower his fever more and cure his infection." Tohru took the bottle from Hatori, bowing with a small 'thank you'.

"We need to go back to the main house." The Dragon addressed his fellow Zodiac Members. "It's late, and Akito's probably sick with worry over Ed-kun."

"Wait, can't I stay?" Kisa quickly asked. Hiro was about to protest, but Hatori beat him to it.

"I'm sorry Kisa, you can't." He said gently. "You and Hiro have school tomorrow, don't you?" The Zodiac Member looked crestfallen for a moment, but then nodded reluctantly.

"Tell you what: when I come by to check on him tomorrow, you can tag along." This seemed to satisfy Kisa enough, and she smiled. "Now let's go home. I have to call the hospital to clear things up so they don't call the police on us for not taking a runaway patient back to the hospital."

"Are you sure we won't have too much trouble?" Kyo asked apprehensively. "Cause' the last thing we need is a bunch of cops busting into this house."

"You'd be surprised at how much influence the Sohma family really has." Shigure said coolly.

* * *

"…and that's how you can administer the medicine while he's unconsciousness." Hatori finished, looking from his car window to the nodding Tohru standing outside it.

Hatori had driven everyone over to Shigure's house in his car, quite a feat considering how crowded it had been. Having six people in a four person compartment was a very tight squeeze. For once, Hatori felt thankful that other Zodiac Members could hold each other without transforming.

"I'll try." Tohru said confidently, despite how tired she was. It had been a long night for all of them, and though she was looking forward to going to bed, she knew she wouldn't fall asleep until she knew that the alchemist would make it through the night without pain.

"Be sure to call me if something happens." The Dragon instructed. Tohru nodded once more, and waved to the Zodiac Members crammed in the car. She could hear their called goodbyes as Hatori drove off.

With a long sigh, Tohru trudged back to the house. Now that all the fear and panic was over, her legs felt incredibly heavy, like lead weights. It was hard to move them in a straight path, but her desire to make sure that Ed was OK overruled it all.

"Honda-san?" A soft voice called out to her, making her start slightly. Yuki was waiting for her at the front door, looking very concerned.

"Hello Yuki-kun." She greeted, her voice a little weak in terms of volume.

"You look awful, Honda-san. Shigure and Kyo have gone to bed; I suggest you do the same." He said as she reached the front door.

"I will, but I need to give Ed-san his medicine first." She pulled the bottle of small white pills from her pocket. "We'll need some water, too."

While Tohru hurried off to the kitchen, The Rat walked upstairs to Ed's room, his legs carrying him there on their own accord. Yuki wasn't sure what he was doing, as he should really be in bed at the moment. It was late, and even though they didn't have school tomorrow, he still needed to get up early for Student Council. Plus, from all the running around he had done that night, he outta be pretty tired. Yet he didn't feel tired; he felt restless.

The door to Ed's room creaked slightly when he opened it. As all people would, Yuki winced a little, fearing that the noise would disturb him. But his worries were soothed when he saw that Ed didn't stir from his drug-induced sleep. However, the chloroform did nothing to ease the sickness that gripped the alchemist. Even when buried under a sea of blankets, Yuki could hear his harsh, almost uneven breathing.

Almost silently, he approached the sleeping youth until he stood over him. Ed was pretty sweaty, under all the sheets and blankets Hatori had piled on him, and his face was scrunched up in agony. Yuki wondered if Ed's facial muscles had frozen into this twisted expression of pain after Haru drugged him senseless.

Why did Ed always have to go down the path with the most difficulties?

"You idiot…" Yuki muttered, reaching out and affectionately ruffling his already messy hair. Ed moaned slightly, but didn't move.

"_In a way, I guess were both more similar then I thought previously."_ Yuki sighed inwardly. "_There's so much were still holding onto, even thought it'd be better for us to let it go…"_

"Yuki-kun," Tohru's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "How is he?"

"Elric-san's still feverish." He said, a little grimly. He didn't bother turning around since Tohru as already by his side. It was quite a feat for someone as tired as she was to move that quickly.

Without another word, Tohru dropped down to her knees by Ed's pillow. Yuki watched silently as a small pop sounded through the air when Tohru opened the bottle. She shook one small white pill out into her hand. Moving quickly, the orphan gently took hold of Ed's jaw and pulled it, opening his mouth just enough so she could slip the pill inside. After that, she placed the glass filled with icy water up to his lips and tipped it slightly. Ed reflexively swallowed, taking the medicine down without a problem. Sighing with relief, Tohru stood back, smiling a little, as always.

"You know, this reminds me of the time when Ed-san first arrived here." She said, her eyes soft again. "Kyo-kun and I stayed up late to make sure his fever went down. He recovered the next morning, but unfortunately, this one's worse than the last one."

"Yeah." Yuki agreed his voice barely above a murmur. "It's strange. Back then, we had absolutely no idea how much pain he was in, or even the hell he had been through."

"So much has happened since then." Tohru mused. "We had such good times and, recently, sad times." It was quiet for another moment, until Yuki spoke in an almost incoherent voice.

"You know, this may sound rude, but I can't help but compare him to me." Yuki muttered.

"Compare?" She repeated.

"I compare our pasts…so in a way…he's just like me. We're both still chained down...by something that's so difficult to let go of."

"…" Tohru didn't say anything, listening intently.

"When someone hurts you, or you hurt someone else, the pain is so difficult to deal with. It chains you to the ground, and you can't move."

"Elric-san is pinned down by his own emotions: pain, fear, guilt, sorrow, anger, just to name a few. They're like chains, holding him down and rendering him immobile. Over time, the chains will rust away, but the shackles on his arms and legs will still remain, reminding him of his mistakes. Those shackles will torment him, constantly plaguing his conscience. Even so, time will wear the shackles away, but the marks of those iron cuffs will be forever imprinted on his skin."

"It should be so easy to let go of those agonizing emotions, because nobody wants them getting in the way of their life. But it isn't, not at all. I believe he holds on to those emotions…because he can't find a way to be rid of them."

"How can we find a way?" Tohru asked, and The Zodiac Member could hear the rough edge to it; a sign of oncoming salt water.

"Only he can do that." Yuki reached forward and pulled the covers up to Ed's chin, in order to keep any heat from escaping his shivering body. "He's holding back so much more than we originally thought. We may have pulled him back from the precipice of suicide, but that doesn't mean it'll solve all his problems overnight."

"_That's why he's like me. Both of us are being chained down by our own regrets, insecurities, doubts. It's still difficult to get rid of mine, but…I'm glad something's changed in me. I just hope he can do the same."_

"I think…he's afraid of something." Tohru mumbled, so silent Yuki almost missed it. "Kisa-san told me that, during his first few days in the hospital, he kept waking up from nightmares, screaming. Each time, he tried to attack something that wasn't there. And tonight, he was running away from illusions."

"He may have left something out." Yuki guessed. "Something he may have not wanted to trouble us with. Or it's something from his past that continues to haunt him, like those Homunculi creatures. I noticed all of their names are the Seven Deadly Sins."

"What's that?" Tohru asked.

"It's the sins that lead to eternal damnation: pride, wrath, greed, lust, gluttony, sloth, and…envy."

"Envy-san must've been one of them and, according to Ed-san, at least three are still alive: Pride-san, Wrath-san, and Gluttony-san. Sloth-san was the one he created." Out of silent concern for what the creation of Sloth had really done to Ed's mentality, Tohru held out her hand, running her fingers through Ed's long hair. It was grimy and dirty, but soft, easily flowing through her hands like fine silk.

"I think he's afraid of them coming here. He doesn't want anyone to get hurt anymore."

"We may never know." Finally feeling exhausted, Yuki turned around, walking to the door with a little sway in his pace. "I need to go to bed; I have student council in the morning."

"OK…goodnight…" The door shut behind her, and Tohru knelt down, placing her head on the mattress as a support. All she did was watch the young alchemist with that frozen expression of torment on his young face. He mumbled something inaudible, but Tohru could guess what it was.

"_Al…"_

Needless to say, she began to cry.

* * *

**The Main House of the Sohma's, 12:00 A.M…**

"Akito-san, if you don't mind my interrupting, could you please stop that?" The Zodiac leader's head jerked up from the floor over to her right. The head maid was standing there, staring at Akito in concern.

For the past hour she had been walking in circles around the Main estate, unable to just sit still while the others were out looking for Ed. Nothing would've satisfied her more than to just run out with them, flashlight in hand, and find him before something terrible happened. But Hatori had said no, since the long run from between here, Shigure's house and the hospital would've hurt her lungs. Fear tugged at her heart, trying so hard not to think about the possibilities if the alchemist was hurt.

"I-I'm sorry." She muttered. It was her tenth lap around the grounds, and she had already found herself in front of Hatori's room.

"I'm not sure what's bothering you, but you need to get some sleep, otherwise you'll get sick again."

"I'm fine!" She snapped, with a small regression back to her past self. The old maid looked taken aback for a moment, but then nodded.

"If you say so." Footsteps reached their ears. Akito spun around to see Hatori approaching her.

In an instant, her feet carried her to the doctor, an unasked question oh-so clearly viewable in her brilliant dark eyes. Hatori held onto her shoulders once she reached him, and smiled in relief.

"He's been found." Hatori answered before Akito said a word. "He was hallucinating from fever, and his foot was scratched up pretty bad, but other than that, he's fine for the time being."

The head of the Sohma clan felt like crying. "T-thank you…" She whispered.

"Found who?" The maid asked, but Hatori shook his head.

"Just a friend who was sick." He replied. The maid narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but turned and left. Hatori shrugged it off, and looked back down at Akito. "It's time for bed, now. You've had a long night."

"I…I should've stayed with him a little longer today." She cried. "M-maybe if-"

"I wasn't your fault Akito." The Zodiac dragon told her sternly. "No one could've seen this coming."

"B-But…" The Zodiac 'god's voice failed her, her gaze falling to the grass, intent on observing the small dewdrops on the grass.

"If you feel like it, I'll take you over tomorrow and we can check on him. Will that make you feel better?" She nodded slightly, and suddenly remembered something.

"Hatori, could you do a favor and find Kureno for me?" She asked. "I have something I need to talk to him about."

* * *

**The next day…**

_The wildfire had finally burnt itself out into the smallest flames by the time he surfaced from the deepest depths of the black ocean he had been sinking in. Ed couldn't figure out what had quenched it. Plus, he felt far more comfortable, and his foot didn't hurt anymore. Come to think of it, he couldn't feel anything other than the mild heat simmering from him and the massive headache splitting his head open._

_"Ed…Edward honey, it's time to wake up." Wake up? Was he just asleep?_

_"Wait…this voice…!" He knew this voice, the face it belonged to, and what the expression would be on the face when he saw it._

_It was his mother's voice._

_His topaz eyes opened to a dark brown, wood ceiling. It was the ceiling he woke up to see every morning before he burned his home down. A warm hand placed itself on his forehead, lovingly and gently._

_"Oh Edward, you have a fever again." His head turned slightly towards the sound of the warm but slightly scolding tone. His mother was kneeling at the head of his bed, smiling at him knowingly, and her forest green eyes filled with concern and laughter._

_"A…fever…?" His voice came out as an almost indistinguishable mumble. How had he caught a fever? He couldn't remember anything, let alone catching a fever._

_"Big Brother!!" The bed shook ever so slightly as two pairs of feet came running in. "Mom, is he OK?!"_

_His 7-year-old brother rushed into Ed's perspective, worry etched into every single detail of his face. Behind him trailed an 8-year-old Winry, her expression an interesting combination of annoyance and concern._

_"Calm down Alphonse." Trisha said gently to her youngest child, patting him on the head. "It's just a little fever. Some stew and a day's rest will have him up in no time."_

_"But why is he sick?"_

_"Don't talk to me as if I weren't here." Ed snapped slightly, wincing at the dryness of his throat. "I'm only sick because Winry locked me outside yesterday and chased me around for hours!" The machine junkie pouted, her small lips becoming very large._

_"You broke my first mechanical finger and didn't apologize." She said in a rather pompous tone. "I spent all night making it and you broke it."_

"_I didn't break it! Al did!" Ed retaliated. Ah yes, that incident had taken place the previous night. He remembered walking into Granny Pinako's workshop the other day, playing hide-and-seek with Al and Winry as Trisha and Pinako had gone out for the night. Upon entering the room, he had found that Al was standing over a broken automail finger that Winry had shown off to them the moment the two brothers had arrived at the house. Apparently he had been trying to hide under the work table, bumped his head and knocked off the steel appendage, still just being put together._

_After trying hastily to draw a transmutation circle to fix it, Winry had walked in looking for the place that the Elric brothers were hiding in. Upon spotting Ed holding the broken finger, she had jumped to conclusions and chased Ed around the house with the small wrench she had gotten for her birthday last week. After locking Ed out of the house, he was forced to sit outside and wait until Pinako returned… at 11:30 P.M._

_Why did it have to be so cold that night?_

_The soon-to-be mechanic turned her fiery eyes on Al, who was already running down the hallway. She ran after him, screaming about how she'll break his skull with her new wrench. Trisha laughed, lightly and sweetly, turning her eyes back to Ed._

"_Now Ed, try to get some rest. I'll bring you your breakfast." She kissed him on his sweaty forehead, tucked in his covers and stood back up. Ed heard her footsteps fade into silence._

_He turned over on his side, curling up to get the most out of the heat his body was radiating to keep himself warm. Slowly, the alchemist had dozed off, hovering on the edge of awake and asleep. After a long time of waiting, the footsteps returned, though they sounded different. Familiar, but Ed couldn't place his finger on the memory. The light footsteps stopped right in front of him, but no words came from his mother. It was completely silent for another minute, until a muted thump came from right in front of him. Ed opened his eyes._

_His vision was blurry from headache, but he could still see a little. The first thing he acknowledged was the chestnut brown hair draping over a soft face. Ed could smell cooked eggs, and grinned inwardly. His mother was purposely trying to spoil him. His throat burned a little again, and he wondered if it would trouble her too much if he asked for some water._

"…Mom…?"

* * *

"Let's see, we need...tamari, cod roe, kale, wasabi, hijiki, and...mirin." Tohru muttered as her eyes scanned the inside of the fridge. "I'd better call Kyo-kun and ask him to pick these up." Yuki had already left for student council, and Kyo had gone over to Kazuma's for the morning. So that left Tohru and Shigure at home.

"Looks like we're out of milk, too." Shigure pointed out, carefully leaning so he didn't bump into her. "I understand the need for kale and mirin, but why all the fancy ingredients? Do you have something in mind?

"Well, actually, I wanted to cook a special meal for Ed-san when he wakes up." The orphan explained. "You know how much he likes Sashimi and Sukiyaki."

"I've honestly never seen someone eat some much and not gain weight." The Dog commented. "But all that fighting he and Kyo do might be the very reason he eats so much _and_ doesn't gain weight." He stood up, stretching from being in a hunched over position. "I have to go to the Main House today, so keep an eye on him. Be sure to call Haa-san when he wakes up."

"OK!" Tohru waved as Shigure walked out, reaching into the fridge and pulling out some eggs. "Maybe I'll make an omelet, with peppers and mushrooms."

Before too long, the smell of cooking eggs swirled around Tohru, making her smile broadly. Ah, how she loved the taste of a fresh, hot omelet.

_"Let's see…"_ She thought after slicing the giant omelet in half. _"I wonder if Ed-san's awake yet, I outta go check on him."_ After carefully using the spatula to slide one half of the cooked eggs onto a clean plate, she hurried from the kitchen and pounded up the stairs.

Ed was still asleep, flipped over on his side and snoring healthily. Just the sight of him fast asleep caused her legs to tremble slightly with relief, but it was short lived.

_'In some cases, when people go through traumatic experiences, their minds will automatically shut themselves down to repair the damage. After rendering themselves unconscious, they either fall into a coma or have a case of amnesia. Ed-kun may remain catatonic for an extensive period of time, and if that happens we'll have to take him back to the hospital to be put on life support until he wakes up.'_

Almost automatically, Tohru's feet took her to the side of the bed, letting her knees drop to the floor and setting the plate on his nightstand. She stared at his now serene face intently, looking for some sign of life, but all she got was a light snore.

_"Please…please wake up."_ She begged silently, suddenly too scared to cry. Tohru stared, searching for any hint of change in his emotionless face. Just when she gave up the possibility of any change, the most incredible thing happened:

Ed stirred.

Just a simple eye twitch had her attention, and hope blooming in her chest. He groaned; an almost inaudible sound from his chest. After another moment, his eyes fluttered open slowly.

She could see how unfocused the vividly golden irises were, staring at particularly nothing at all. But they held the sign of consciousness. Tohru held her breath, not daring to move as if this was some spell laden upon him, and if she moved, it would break. His mouth, just ever so slightly opened in an oval shape, allowed a single word to tumble out.

"…Mom…?" The word sounded rusty and unused, but Tohru found an impossibly wide grin spread across her face.

"Ed-san, you're awake." She whispered, her heart overflowing with joy.

His eyes remained unresponsive for a moment, but then they started to widen, pupils focusing on her face. An astonished yet exhausted expression slowly formed.

"Wha…Tohru!?" He sat up quickly out of shock, but then moaned and fell backwards, making a muffled _flop_ as he hit his feather pillow. "My…head…"

Her caring nature took over in an instant, and she lightly placed a hand on his forehead, sighing with relief to see that his fever had dropped down to a more natural temperature.

"Try not to move so much." She requested, rubbing his temple gently and hoping she could soothe his headache by doing this. "You're still a little warm."

"I'm fine." He mumbled, sitting up, but keeping his eyes covered to keep out and intruding light. "Just a headache." He was quiet for another moment, allowing his eyes to adjust, but then Tohru saw surprise cross his face when he opened them again.

"Wait, what am I doing back here?" He sat up, slowly glancing around and taking in his surroundings. "What happened? How did I get here?"

"You don't remember?" Tohru asked incredulously.

_'Or his mind may wipe itself to deal with the trauma. If that were to happen, we may not know whether just the memories of tonight are erased, or every single one of them.'_

Ed's eyes unfocused themselves again; remaining silent while he thought. After a few more seconds of this, a look of shocked horror spread across his face, frightening Tohru. His breathing tempo increased and sweat suddenly began to roll down his face. The golden irises grew round with fear. Clearly he had remembered whatever terrors he had seen yesterday.

"Oh…God…"

"Ed-san, please, calm down, it was just a dream!" Tohru grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Snap out of it!! You were hallucinating last night!"

The horror and fear vanished abruptly, being replaced with confusion. "Wait…what?"

"Your high fever caused you to hallucinate last night, and you ran away from the hospital." Tohru rapidly explained. "You ran a long way and attacked Hatsuharu-san and Hiro-san!"

"I…attacked…Haru…?" Ed trailed off, shaking his head as though trying to clear it. "All I can remember was…that thing…" He shuddered, but tried to keep going. "…and…Al…"

"Hatsuharu-san had to knock you out with chloroform, and he brought you back here. We were so scared…Kisa-san was worried sick, and Akito-san too!"

The alchemist remained silent, staring at her with blank eyes. Tohru could almost hear the gears of his brilliant mind grind together as he processed this. Then he let out a pained sighed.

"I'm such an idiot." He moaned.

"No you're not." Tohru protested. Ed moaned again.

"Just forget it." He fell back onto his pillow, rolling over, just like that afternoon a week ago. Silence stretched between them, until Tohru tried to break the fragile atmosphere.

"Ed-san, do you want to talk about it?" He didn't say anything, but he responded by a simple shake of the head.

"Ed-san, it's OK to be scared." She told him, reaching over and squeezing his flesh shoulder. "And it's OK to be sad. You can tell me anything." A muted, tense moment followed, until…

"I…was being chased…by The Gate…it was…trying to take me back to that place."

"What place?"

"It's where the dead go… a cold…dark place…" He mumbled. "I was…scared that it was…going to kill me…"

"And then?"

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_An cuimhin leat an gra cra croi an ghra?_

_(Do you remember the time when little things made you happy?)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

"I…ran away…I remember jumping from my window and running down the street, trying to escape. It…followed me." His voice began to break, and his breath hitched unevenly. "S-so I…kept running. I managed t-to escape but…there were…" His voice dropped until there was absolutely nothing coming from his mouth except frightened whimpers, but even those were barely audible.

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Nil anois ach ceol na h-oiche taim siorai i ngra?_

_(Do you remember the time when simple things made you smile?)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

Tohru climbed up onto his bed beside him, sitting on her knees, and gently grabbed hold of his shoulders and pulled him towards her. He willing obliged, sitting up and turning so he could be comfortable and curl up in her lap. She carefully held his shoulders while he clutched her body in a grip that almost hurt. His head pressed itself into the crook of her neck. An earthquake rocked his body with untamable force.

_'He's holding back so much more than we originally thought.'_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Leannain le smal_

_(Life can be wonderful if you let it be)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

Managing to keep her breathing even, Tohru allowed the blonde alchemist to purge himself of everything he had been holding in. All the pain, guilt, fear, and sadness left his body in the form of racking tremors. The brunette absorbed them, drinking the tsunami of heart-shattering emotions, wanting to truly understand his agony. All the while she murmured soft words into his grimy, oily hair. It was the least she could do to let him know she was still there.

Because she knew that Ed's trembling, this moment of complete weakness, was probably the best medicine that he could get.

Ed said nothing for the first few minutes, until salt water finally started to escape his eyes.

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Leannain le smal_

_(Life can be simple if you try)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

"I-it was m-my fault…that night…w-we tried to…bring Mom b-back…" He confessed with a violently shaking voice. "The…w-whole thing was m-my idea…Al t-tried t-to talk me out of i-it…but I d-didn't listen…it was all my f-fault…and n-now he's g-gone…!"

"Being alone is scary." Tohru agreed, hot water pouring from her eyes. "It's so...scary…to be alone."

No other words were shared for the rest of the morning, and by noon the shuddering earthquake faded into weak aftershocks. For a moment, Tohru feared that something else was going wrong, but then his body slumped against hers. His breathing had slowed, evening out in calm breaths. Was he asleep?

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Lig leis agus beidh leat?_

_(What happened to those days?)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

"Tohru…?" He asked weakly.

"Yes?"

"I'm hungry." He pulled away gently, drying his eyes and sniffling slightly. "And I…gotta' apologize to everyone." Impossibly, he managed a small smile. Not the fake ones that Tohru had seen on his face during the last two weeks, but an honest, cheerful smile. One that told her something:

The worst was finally over.

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Lig leis agus beidh gra?_

_(What happened to those nights?)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

* * *

**30 minutes later…**

"Hello?" Yuki called out, stepping into the house and slipping out of his shoes. Kyo and Shigure followed quickly. "Honda-san?"

"I'm here!" She replied, her voice sounding rather excited. "Guess who woke up?"

Upon hearing this, Yuki rushed into the living room, gasping in relief as he took in the scene before him. Ed was sitting at the table, devouring the plate of eggs before him. Tohru was sitting next to him, a considerably less amount of omelet of her plate. Upon their entry, the alchemist turned and smiled broadly.

"Hey." He said through a mouthful of eggs, swallowing after he spoke.

If his legs had the ability to move, Yuki would've hugged him. Shigure beat him to it, though.

"Oh, dear Ed-kun!!" Shigure ran forward, his arms outstretched. "We were so worried!"

The person in question dropped his fork, leaped into the air, well out of The Zodiac members reach, and landed nimbly atop a nearby cabinet on the balls of his feet. That left Shigure to hug air. A thus followed as he slipped and fell to the ground.

"Don't do that!" Ed yelled at him from the very top of the wooden case. "You freakin' scared me!!"

"But Ed-kun…" Shigure complained, wiping away a mock tear.

"Shigure, please don't imitate my brother." Yuki scolded him.

"How the hell'd you that?" Kyo asked in sheer amazement. Ed, once he made sure Shigure wouldn't jump at him again, swung from the top of the cabinet and hit the ground silently.

"Do what?" His voice drawled a little with obvious boredom. A smile spread across Yuki's face.

It was good to have the old Ed back.

"How can you now know what you just did?!" Kyo screeched at him. "You just jumped up 7 feet and now you act like that was nothing!!"

"That was a very simple escape." The alchemist droned with a hint of bragging. "If I hadn't been stuck in that hospital for over two weeks, I would've done something a lot more complicated than that."

"You're insane!" The Cat threw his hands up hopelessly and turned around to storm out of the room, but was stopped when Ed put a hand on his shoulder.

"Now that I think about it," The blonde youth said thoughtfully. "My body feels pretty out of shape being stuck there for a long time so…" An evil grin flashed across his face, and before Kyo could do anything about it, he was flying out the door to the backyard. A loud grunt ensued as Kyo hit the ground.

"K-KYO-KUN!!! Tohru screamed leaping to her feet. Ed laughed, his voice filled with exhilaration.

"Damn that felt good!!" He flexed his arm, stretching its muscles. "Can't remember the last time I did that!"

"I...havesomethingimportanttodobye!!!" The Rat attempted to run away from being a possible punching bag, but was held back a strong, metallic hand.

"Not so fast." Ed reassured him with an all-too-innocent voice. "You're gonna stay here and spar with me."

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no-AGH!!!" The Zodiac Member was abruptly kicked in the stomach, which sent him out the door to join Kyo outside, sprawled in the grass. Ed cracked his knuckles, a wide smile plastered on his face. He ignored the fact that Tohru was in a near panic.

"My, my Ed-kun." Shigure said in amazement. "Nothing keeps you down for long."

"Thank you for the compliment." The alchemist responded casually, and then turned his fiery eyes to him. "Next?" Shigure jumped slightly, started to sweat uncomfortably.

"N-no thank you."

"Whatever." And with that, Ed leaped outside, determined to regain his lost exercise by using the two Zodiac Members as gym equipment and punching bags.

"P-please…Ed-san!" Tohru tried to protest. "You'll open your wounds!"

"Don't worry Tohru-kun." Shigure said gently. "He won't kill them."

"B-but shouldn't we-"

"Relax; it's no different from when Yuki beats up Kyo. By the way, I called Sensei last night."

"You did?" She repeated, now completely diverted from the fighting outside.

"I told him about Ed-kun's little escape, and he's coming down here to check on him. He's just been so busy lately, so he might not arrive until later on tonight."

"Where is he currently?" Tohru wondered.

"He's wrapping up his business in America." The Dog explained, a loud thump reaching his ears as Ed tossed Kyo into the outside wall of the house. "Ed-kun, could you please restrain yourself from demolishing the house?" He called.

"Sorry!" Can an apologetic voice from outside. The thuds and grunts continued a second later.

"As I was saying," Shigure continued. "Did you hear about 'The Tanker Incident' last week?" Tohru shook her head. "From what I hear, a group of Russian terrorists hijacked an oil tanker in Boston Harbor. It was blown to smithereens, and now the entire river is a toxic soup of oil."

"How terrible!"Tohru said, sounding very worried.

"Indeed. Now the American government's putting up a fence to keep it from reaching the sea. There were some survivors, but most of them have lost limbs."

"So is that why Hohemheim-san's in America right now?"

"Yes. Oh, and I got the ingredients you requested from the store earlier." He held out a bag filled with food to the brunette.

"Thank you Shigure-san." She bowed, smiling. "Ed-san, what would you like for lunch?" The orphan called outside.

Ed looked up from holding both Yuki and Kyo in headlocks. There wasn't a scratch on him, while the other two Zodiac Members had bruises on every single inch of their skin. Ed released both Zodiac Members, ignoring the loud grunt as they hit the ground, and walked back inside.

"I'd like Sashimi!" Ed proclaimed with a big grin on his face, punching the air with his fist.

"You certainly know him Tohru." Shigure whispered as she got up and walked to the kitchen.

* * *

**4 hours later…**

The room's relaxed atmosphere in the living room faded when a rumbling sound echoed outside. Shigure peeked up from his newspaper, smiling.

"Looks like they're here." He said matter-of-factly. Ed glanced up from his alchemy book. He knew who Shigure was mentioning, but what the hell was making that weird noise? It couldn't be Hatori's car, could it?

The front door shuttered open, and footsteps pounded down the hallway to where everyone else was. A brown-haired figure flew into the room, stopping short when she took in the people around the table.

Kagura panted hard, her chest heaving and wide, tree bark-colored eyes scanning the room swiftly for one person in particular. They finally found their target. Ed raised an eyebrow but smiled, if not a little cockily, in greeting.

"Hey Kagura." He said.

"Hello Kagura!" Shigure repeated a little more enthusiastically. The Zodiac Member said nothing to him, let alone returned his hello. Kagura let herself catch her breath before speaking in an angry tone.

"You…" She hissed through gritted teeth. A confused look spread across Ed's face, not noticing that everyone else had backed away from the table.

"_**YOU IDIOT!!!!**_" The alchemist barely leaped away in time before Kagura threw her fist forward at him, just across the table. An ear-splitting crack sounded as splinters of wood went flying through the air. Shigure sobbed a little at the site of his low table smashed in half. The Boar didn't stop there.

"K-Kagura," Ed stuttered, holding his hands up in defense. "W-what are you-"

"_**SHUT UP!!!**_" She screeched, leaping at him and grabbing hold of the front of his black tank-top. "_**HOW DARE YOU RUN OFF LIKE THAT!?!?!? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW FRIGHTENED WE ALL WERE?!?! WE WERE WORRIED SICK!!!!!!!**_"

"Kagura, please don't kill him!" Yuki shouted, trying to get her attention and stop her from shaking the alchemist like crazy. Naturally, she ignored him.

"_**…WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD"VE HAPPENED IF YOU HAD BEEN HIT BY A CAR?!?!?! OR IF WE HADN'T FOUND YOU UNTIL YOU COLLASPED?!?!?! AKITO-SAN AND SATCHAN WERE SCARED TO DEATH!!! YOU IDIOT, YOU MORON, YOU **__**BAKA**__**!!!!!**_" She stopped at last, letting go of the front of Ed's shirt. He fell to the floor with a grunt, too dazed to bother getting up.

` Silence lay on the room like a thick cloud. Ed stared up at Kagura, and she stared back with fire in her eyes, but it was quickly burning out. The small part of Ed's mind that wasn't stunned by her sudden attack noted that Hatori, Haru, Momiji, and Kisa were standing at the doorway, watching the whole scene with wide eyes.

A small whimper escaped The Boar's lips, and was followed with a cascade of tears pouring down her rosy cheeks, flushed with anger. Ed had never, in his life, seen someone's face go from anger to misery and relief so fast. Almost immediately after, Kagura let out a keening wail of despair, jumping at him. Arms outstretched, she pulled Ed into a back-breaking hug.

**POOF!!**

"You stupid fool!!" She cried after she had transformed in a multi-colored puff of smoke. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!!! Do you hear me, Nii-san?!" Ed sighed, smiling, and hugged the small boar in his lap.

"Sorry." He muttered, laughing. "I know I'm an idiot." Kagura sniffled, and laughed a little, too.

"What the hell happened to you two?" Haru's curious yet strangely indifferent voice cut through the emotional reunion. His question was directed at Kyo and Yuki, who had bandages covering their arms and face. Simultaneously, The Cat and The Rat pointed at the alchemist, while he quickly assumed an innocent look.

"I'm so glad I listened to my premonition to bring more medical supplies." The Dragon muttered to himself, stepping forward to the still smashed table. "Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere…" The both of them moaned. Momiji laughed.

"That's what you get when you mess around with Ed-chan." The Rabbit scolded them.

"Actually, this time we were attacked." Kyo said in a seething voice. Hatori sighed in exasperation, but pulled out some salves for the two beat up Zodiac Members.

"Um, Ed-kun?" The Dog suddenly asked. "Could you fix my table for me?"

"Sorry Shii-chan." The Zodiac Boar apologized. She squirmed out of Ed's grip, grabbed her clothes in her mouth, and trotted to the bathroom. "I'm gonna go change!"

The alchemist clapped his hands together, placing on the remains of the table. It morphed back together in an instant. Strangely enough, it didn't exhaust him as much before.

"Thank you Ed-kun." Shigure said happily, and went back to his newspaper. Haru and Momiji took spots at the table, along with Kisa, who plopped down next to the alchemist.

"Onii-kun, is your fever better?" She asked worriedly, placing a hand on his cheek which, once again, caused his temperature to rise, but fortunately not by much.

"Y-yeah." He stuttered slightly, ignoring the knowing looks Haru and Momiji were flashing him. "I'm fine."

"Where's Honda-kun?" Hatori brought up while smearing some gooey substance on Yuki's bruised arm.

"She had to go to work, but she made some Sashimi for lunch. There are leftovers if anyone's hungry." Shigure mentioned.

"Really?" Kagura said excitedly, popping out of the bathroom fully clothed. "YAY!!!"

"Help yourself." The Boar hurried to the kitchen, followed closely by Haru. As soon as they were gone, Momiji started bouncing up and down excitedly for some reason.

"OH! I just remembered something!" He said joyfully. "We were planning to take you somewhere special in celebration when you got out of the hospital, and since you are officially free, we can go tomorrow!"

"Not so fast Momiji," Hatori interrupted him, finishing up Kyo's treatment. "I need to check him over, and see for myself."

"Awwww, but Hari!" The Rabbit complained, but a stern look from the doctor silenced him.

"Doc, I'm fine." Ed protested, preparing to run in case Hatori brought a needle with him.

"Try all you want, but Haa-san won't believe you until he checks you over." Shigure scolded him playfully. "I should know, since I've been subjecting to Haa-san's many horrible treatments for the diseases I've caught over the years."

"I only tried to make you as uncomfortable as possible because your complaining was getting on my nerves," Hatori reminded him, scooting over to the blonde alchemist who, in turn, backed away slightly in apprehension. "And you wouldn't stay in bed like I told you when you had a cold and kept going out for a drink. Take a deep breath, Ed-kun." He said to the alchemist, a stethoscope pressed against his chest.

For the next few minutes, Ed was subjected to taking his shirt off (feeling very conscious of Kisa's rich chocolate eyes on him) and being poked by Hatori everywhere he had gotten an injury from his fight with Envy. He managed to distract himself from his exam by listening to Momiji's many suggestions about where to go the next day. Though they had school, Momiji wanted to go during the afternoon.

"…so Haru thought it'd be cool if we all went to see a movie, but since you're from a different world that doesn't have movies, we're not sure about what you would like to see."

"I have no clue about what goes on in the movie industry." Ed sighed.

"Momiji, didn't you say that you wanted to go to the aquarium?" Yuki reminded him. "That sounds fun."

"Hey, I thought we agreed on going out for sushi!" Kyo, his temper rising quickly, quickly retorted.

"You weren't listening to us, were you, you stupid Cat?" Yuki groaned. "There's a sushi restaurant inside the aquarium, I thought you would've figured that out."

"Shut up, I don't feel like fighting now." The Zodiac Member spat, and stood up abruptly. "I'm going to bed. Tell Tohru I said thanks for the Sashimi!"

"Will do!" Momiji agreed. Meanwhile, Hatori was wrapping up his examination. The final wound The Dragon had to check was the stab wound on his stomach. He carefully unwrapped the white pieces of linen, while Ed braced himself for any shocked gasps.

Underneath the few bandages Ed had covering his would-be fatal injury was a large, bright pink scar, strewn with stitches. Its edges were jagged and looked like they were freshly healed. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kisa wince and glance away, the tiniest of whimpers coming from her throat. His stomach churned painfully at the sound.

"_Wow_…" Momiji mouthed, a frown gracing his usually joyful features.

"Looks like it's closed up fully." Hatori noted, smiling reassuringly in contrast to everyone's worried looks. "One quick trip to the hospital to remove those stitches and you'll be out of there for good."

"Must I go back?" Ed moaned loudly. "I'm already discharged, aren't I?"

"It'll only take ten minutes." Haru explained, walking back into the room with Kagura behind him, her mouth filled with food. "You should be thankful. Most people wouldn't be able to get out of the hospital so quickly without a week's worth of papers to fill out."

"Besides, we're not leaving right away, Nii-san." The Boar reminded him. "We all have school tomorrow, and when we get out, we'll spend the rest of the afternoon having fun."

"You sure the aquarium will be open that long?" Yuki asked.

"Of course!" Momiji continued. "I checked; it's open 'till five, and the sushi restaurant closes at six."

"Sounds like we've got a lot of time." Haru said contently. "I wonder if they serve shark fin."

"Hope so." Kisa added quietly. "But I prefer salmon."

"Alright then; after school, we'll all meet at the Sohma estate and take a bus downtown." The Rabbit decided. "I should ask Tohru's friends if they want to come too." He muttered to himself.

"Well, now that we have that cleared up," The Dog interrupted. "Who wants to play Old Maid?"

* * *

The door to Shigure's house shut quietly as Tohru walked in, slipping out of her shoes and setting her bag gently on the floor. Work had all been worth it that day, as her manager had offered an increase in pay for all the extra hours she had been putting in.

"Now I'll be able to buy a souvenir on our trip tomorrow." She thought happily. Almost immediately upon walking to the porch on her way to the stairs, she heard two sets of voices: One apologetic, and the other accepting.

"…so that's what really happened, huh?" The first voice was quiet and gentle, on a tone level of sympathy. It was The Zodiac Tiger.

"Yeah." The other was a low mutter that Tohru could only just pick up. "I…ran away for that reason."

_"Ed-san?"_

Kyoko Honda had taught her daughter not to eavesdrop on other people's conversations, and the orphan (ever enthusiastic to learn something new from her mother) had heeded the advice. However, this time around, she sent a quick prayer of apology to her mom and concealed herself by the entrance of the door, listening.

"How long have you been having these nightmares?" Kisa asked, curious but not prying.

"For a long time now," The alchemist admitted, guilt layering his voice. "Even before Envy showed up. I've had them back in Amestris, too."

"You know, you could've told me." She told him. "Or Onee-chan, I know she'd listen to you. It's easier to talk about your problems then hold it in."

"I don't like burdening you guys with my crap." Ed's reply came in a monotone growl. "All it does is make problems for everyone. This is my punishment for stepping on the toes of 'god'. I brought this on myself. It sucks, but it's the price I have to pay for my foolishness."

"Is that why you're so afraid of The Gate?" She asked gingerly. Tohru knew that it was a sore subject for the anguished youth. Silence answered her question, not surprisingly.

The brunette crouched there, ignoring the small prick of guilt poking at her consciousness. It seemed that there were things he could only tell Tohru, and things that he could only tell Kisa. They just had to be ready to listen when the time came.

For The Zodiac Member, that time was now.

"That Gate…" Ed confessed after another moment of muted agony. "I know it's haunting me on purpose. It…scares me…I-I keep having nightmares about it."

Tohru could easily imagine the scene going on outside. Ed crouching on the edge of the porch, hugging his knees tightly, pain etched into every detail of his face. And Kisa, kneeling beside him, hands folded neatly on her lap, with worry and compassion gracing her soft features.

"When I ran away last night, I guess I wasn't thinking clearly enough to realize that it was a hallucination." The slightest ruffling of fabric told Tohru that he had buried his face into his legs.

"Last night was probably one of the scariest in my life." Kisa's low, sad voice followed a minute later. "Even scarier than when Envy attacked me and Akito-san."

"Really?" Ed's voice suddenly showed a lot of interest, and was laced with heart-wrenching guilt. The Tiger said nothing at first, but Tohru could tell that she was nodding slowly.

"When I first heard you had…run away like that…I-I was…terrified that something bad was happening to you. I…I thought you had…g-gone to…" Tears choked her voice, and simultaneously pooled in the brunettes sapphire eyes.

_"She must have thought that Ed-san ran off to commit suicide."_ The final word crossed her thoughts without hesitation. It scared her just to know that she cold think like that in such a conceited way.

"I thought I was going to lose you!" The Tiger cried, but was doing a very good job of keeping her sobs quiet.

The alchemist said nothing, and Tohru could only hear Kisa's hitched breathing as well as her own attempts to keeping herself from crying. A shuffling noise reached her ears; the sound of fresh spring grass being crushed under a pair of feet, one metal, the other human flesh. They stopped after going a considerable distance, and a loud, sharp clap rang through the evening air. The wall in front of Tohru lit up with a bright blue light, while the sound of lightening crackles flashed outside. Whatever Ed was transmuting, it was brief, for it quickly stopped. The mismatched feet turned around with a muffled swish and walked back to the porch.

"Here." He said, the creaking of the wood indicating that he was sitting down again. A quiet gasp came from the Zodiac Member.

"You made this out of a flower?" Her voice was thick with tears and admiration. Tohru's curiosity piqued up.

"Mmm-hmm. Let me do this for you." Silence followed as Ed did whatever he had offered to do for her. Tohru, deciding that it was time for her to leave the two alone, got up as silently as she could, and quickly scurried well out of earshot in the kitchen.

The orphaned brunette turned on the sink, washing her face off to get rid of all traces of the tears that spilled from her eyes. She took several deep breaths, calming herself, and smiled broadly.

_"Ed-san…really is in love with Kisa-san."_ A flush of bright pink tickled her face, a small bubble of laughter escaping her lips while she dried her face. Warm and fuzzy joy danced in her stomach. _"It's so sweet."_

Her joyful moment was interrupted by, angry crashing sound in the living room, followed by a shout of "HEY!!"

"Shii-chan, how dare you cheat like that?!" Kagura's infuriated voice shook the house. "Didn't your mother teach you not to cheat?!"

"I'm not cheating." The Dog said calmly. "You're just not happy with losing. Now will you please stop destroying my table?"

Tohru suddenly remembered that she hadn't greeted the others yet.

_"How rude of me!"_ She reprimanded herself silently, and hurried out of the kitchen to the living room. "Hello everyone!" She called. "I'm home!"

Sitting at a broken table was Hatori, Haru, Yuki, Momiji, and a very pissed Kagura attacking a very sad Shigure. The Zodiac Ox, Rabbit, Dragon, and Rat held a small amount of cards close to them, saving their decks from The Boar's wrath. The rest of the cards, namely Shigure's and Kagura's, were scattered on the floor.

"Honda-san, welcome back." Yuki greeted, a little loudly due to The Zodiac Boar's furious rant. "How was work?"

"It went quite well." Tohru answered. "Guess what, I got a raise today!"

"Tohru, that's wonderful!" Momiji cheered happily. "Now you've got some spending money on our trip tomorrow."

"Oh, hello Tohru-kun!" Shigure shouted whilst trying to fend off Kagura. "Could you do me a favor and ask Ed-kun to fix the table again?"

Again? What had happened to the table earlier?

"And tell him to get his butt in here so I can beat him at Rich Man, Poor Man." Haru added. "Bout' time I challenged him to a card game."

Before Tohru could nod in agreement, a loud, echoing knock came from the front door. Its pattern was all too familiar to Tohru.

"Oh, Hohemheim-san's here!" She said happily, hurrying out of the living room to the hallway. "I'll let him in."

After opening the door and joyfully greeting the aged alchemist with a polite bow, she was handed a rectangular white package.

"What's this?" She asked.

"It's a little pick-me-up from America." He told her. "I was doing some shopping when I thought I'd bring you all something when I stopped by."

Tohru quickly tore off the wrapping and found, under the thick paper, a book of Western recipes. She gasped in delight.

"Thank you so much!" She said happily. "But you didn't have to bring me anything."

"It's alright." He told her, walking past her to living room upon hearing another crash. This time, Tohru saw that the sliding door had been broken.

"You're on a roll today Kagura." Hatori scolded her indifferently, and turned to his old teacher. "Hello Sensei."

"Welcome back Sensei!" Shigure repeated a lot more happily.

"Well this is a strange gathering indeed." He commented, and looked over the damaged room.

"Would you like me to fix that Shigure?" The Dog nodded, and Hohemheim of Light stepped up to the rubble.

"Hi Hohemheim-san!" Kagura said, snapping out of her angry temper in a second.

"Hello Jii-san!" Momiji said brightly, not forgetting his manners. "How was America?"

"It was good, but it's nice to be back." With a loud clap, the old alchemist held his hands over the rubble, fixing it within seconds. Not only that, the door fixed itself as well.

"I'm impressed." Haru stated. "If Ed-kun tried that, he'd pass out."

"Well, if you keep using alchemy in this world, eventually your body grows used to it and fully connects to The Gate. Soon, you stop exhausting yourself each time you do a transmutation." He stretched his arms. "Now then, where is my son, because it's time for me to scold him."

"I think he got reprimanded enough for one day by Kagura," Hatori pointed out, and then shrugged. "But hey, you're his father."

When Tohru saw Kisa later that evening after Hohemheim chewed Ed out, she was wearing a bright pink ribbon in her hair.

It smelled like flowers.

* * *

**The next day…**

"So you'll come Hana-chan?" Tohru asked her psychic friend happily. She nodded.

"Of course I will Tohru-kun." She replied with a smile. "I especially look forward to the sushi restaurant. It's one of the finest in town."

"Have you ever been there before?" She asked. Hana nodded.

"Yes, my parents took me there on my birthday last year. It's awfully expensive though."

"Eh?!" Tohru started, not knowing how much it had really cost Momiji to do this for them. "B-but, I though Momiji said that the only expensive thing they had to pay for was the charter bus!"

"The Sohma's are a rich family," Hana noted. "And remember that they're all pitching in for Elric-kun."

"I guess so. But I'll have to find a way to repay them someday!"

"I'm sure you will Tohru-kun." She turned around. "Now then, weren't you going to ask Arisa to come?"

"Oh right!" The brunette jumped slightly as she remembered. "Let's go." Both hurried over to Uo's desk.

The yankee was staring out the window, eyes glazed over as though she was going to fall asleep. Tohru fretted for a moment, worrying that she wouldn't be happy if she woke up, but that fear was doused when her overprotective friend glanced in their direction when they arrived.

"Hey Uo-chan," Tohru asked hesitantly. Something had been up with her ever since that morning. She hadn't said a word to either of them all day. "Is something wrong?"

"Hmm…?" Uo groaned curiously, but then smiled gently. "Nope, I'm fine. Just a little sleepy, is all. What's up?"

"Ed-san was discharged from the hospital yesterday." They all had agreed to not tell Uo and Hana what had happened two days ago, since they already had enough on their minds. "And we're all going to celebrate by going to the aquarium. Would you like to come along?" The yankee looked surprised for a moment, but then smiled and shook her head slowly.

"I can't come, sorry Tohru..." She said apologetically, and then she sighed, hard.

"I got a phone call last night…from Kureno Sohma."

* * *

"We're bringing Ritchan along too, right?" Haru asked Momiji through the chewing of his ginger pork. It was lunch time, and Haru was clearly not going to waste it.

"Uh huh!" The Rabbit replied. "It's about time Ed-chan met the rest of the Zodiac."

"What about Kureno?" His fellow Zodiac Member swallowed down the remainder of his food quickly, so he could answer without being rude.

"I dunno', but by know, Ed-chan could've figured out he was The Rooster. He's smart enough to see the pattern." The sound of rapid footsteps reached their ears as someone was rushing down the hallway. It turned out to be Tohru, who burst into the room with a flustered expression on her face.

"M-Momiji-kun." She stuttered breathlessly.

"Tohru, what's wrong?" He jumped from his seat and raced to Tohru's side. "Did something happen?" She didn't responded, and turned over to Haru.

"Hatsuharu-san, I'm sorry but could I borrow him for a moment?" She said hastily. The carefree Ox shrugged.

"I guess so." Tohru muttered a quick 'thank you' and pulled Momiji into the hallway.

"So what's going on?" The Zodiac Member asked when they found a quiet spot in the hallway. Tohru breathed in for a moment before speaking in a slightly tearful tone.

"Kureno-san, he called Uo-chan yesterday, and asked her out to eat after school!" The saltwater finally overflowed from Tohru's blue eyes. Momiji smiled at her, clasping her hands and holding them up, just like the day after New Year's.

"Let's saw a prayer again, Tohru." He said gently, closing his eyes. "Let's pray that all goes well between them."

"Thank you Momiji-kun," Tohru cried softly, clamping her eyes shut tight to stop the tears. "For making their happiness possible."

* * *

**Sohma Main Estate Entrance, 3:00 P.M…**

The spring sky was a bright blue shade, not a single cloud there to wreck its endless stretch of azure. Mind you there were a few airplanes, but they didn't leave any trails in their wake.

Tohru was certain that the weather was purposely matching her mood. Uo had already gone to the restaurant where she worked to meet with Kureno for a meal, and she, Hana, Ed, Haru, Yuki, Kyo, and Momiji were waiting heading up to the Main Estate's entrance. Hohemheim had agreed to come along, but he and Shigure had gone out to a bookstore that morning to pass the time, and were running late due to traffic.

_"I hope they get here soon."_ She silently hoped. _"The aquarium might close soon."_

"Tohru, you don't have to fret so much." Momiji told her, easily guessing what was on her mind. "The bus isn't set to come for another ten minutes, so they have time."

"Relax Honda-san." Yuki said gently. "Hohemheim-san and Shigure will be fine."

"If you say so." They now stood before the Main Estate. A few minutes passed, with Haru and Kyo bickering quietly about how much more shark fin they could down before the other, when the large doors opened.

"Hi everyone!" Kagura shouted enthusiastically, waving. Behind her were Rin, Kisa, Hiro, and an orange-haired man that Ed did not know. He didn't have to wait too long to find out.

"Ritchan-san!" Tohru shouted happily in greeting, hurrying up to him and bowing. The alchemist suddenly remembered where he had heard about him before.

_'He's the Monkey of the Zodiac, and the son of the Okami.'_

_"Oh yeah."_ He thought, taking in the Zodiac Member with curious eyes_. "He looks a little like a girl though, but then again, so does Yuki."_ He vaguely wondered if part of the Zodiac curse was for a few men to look more like women than their true genders. The only exception was probably Akito.

_"Wait…"_ He tensed slightly as her name crossed his mind. He glanced around the group that was approaching them, but he couldn't see her anywhere. Kisa and Kagura were making small talk with Hana, Rin was striding towards Haru while being pestered by Momiji, Tohru was talking with Hiro and Ritsu, and Yuki was attempting to break up a possible fight between Haru and Kyo. But Akito was nowhere to be seen.

_"That's strange, I thought I asked Hatori to tell her she's invited."_ It wasn't surprising that Akito had chickened out, though. Maybe he was asking too much of her by inviting her along to a possibly very crowded place, and she needed to take smaller steps before she could walk on her own.

Or did she need someone to help pull her along?

Just as he made his resolve, Tohru pulled Ritsu over to him.

"Ed-san, this is Ritsu Sohma." The Monkey let out a small, shy "hello".

"Um…it's nice to meet you Edward-san." He said hesitantly, holding out a slightly shaky hand.

"Nice to finally be able to meet you Ritsu." Ed, feeling rather confident about this, took it in his metallic right hand. The alchemist was actually feeling good today, and wasn't shy about concealing his prosthetic hand too much. He was just wearing a long-sleeved, white polo shirt and jeans. Fortunately, it wasn't all that hot today.

Ritsu made no comment about the cold touch of his fake hand, and smiled sincerely. "I've heard so much about you from Ayame-niisan. He speaks so highly of you."

"He does?!" Yuki's voice came out high with surprise.

_"Is he really related to that hot springs lady?"_ The alchemist wondered. _"He's a lot more confident than I pictured him."_

"What does he say about Ed-kun, dare I ask?" Hatori muttered darkly. "Whatever he told you, it's probably a lie." A tense silence followed. And then…

_**"EDWARD-SAN, I AM SOOOO SORRY!!!!!"**_ Ristu yelled to the heavens. _**"I SHOULD HAVE MET YOU FIRST BEFORE I MADE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT YOUR LIFE!!!!! I'M SORRY WORLD!!!! PLEASE FORGIVE MY CONCEITEDNESS!!!!"**_

_"I stand corrected."_ Ed thought in shock. _"I am now 100% sure that this is the son of the Okami."_

"Ritchan, please calm down!" Kisa said hurriedly. She was cut off when Hiro poked him in the side, and The Monkey collapsed. His fellow Zodiac Member sighed in annoyance.

"I swear, your panic attacks get worse every day."

"I'm sorry Hiro." Ristu sobbed.

"What do you mean you left the camera?!" Kyo's angry screech had everyone's heads turning in their direction. The Cat was now in one of his infamous arguments with Yuki, who glared at him with indifference.

"I didn't leave the camera, you left it." Yuki retorted calmly. "We'll just buy another one when we get to town."

"I thought you said you were going to bring!!" Kyo shouted to his face.

"I never said that, you just have a faulty memory."

"Shut up ya damn rat!" And a fight broke out.

Ed tore his gaze away from the two teenagers perfectly imitating _**"Tom and Jerry"**_ over to the big mansion shooting up high above the other grand buildings. Did Akito really not want to come, or was something preventing her from getting here?

Silently walking away from the others, who were engrossed in the fighting Cat and Rat before them, Ed walked into the Main Estate, unable to shake off a queasy feeling in his stomach. He couldn't name the feeling, or why it was making him want to race to Akito's side this instant.

Was it paternal instinct?

* * *

**Akito's room, 3:05 P.M…**

"Are you sure you can fare on your own for a few hours, Akito?" Kureno asked for, what felt like to Akito, the hundredth time.

"Yes Kureno, I'm sure." She groaned, staring out the window and watching a flock of birds fly away. It wasn't The Ex-Bird that was making her irritated, though. It was her nervousness.

The Zodiac 'god' was all dressed up (casual boy clothes, of course) and ready to go, but something was holding her back. She couldn't tell what it was. Was it her guilt over harming the Zodiac Members? Sure she had apologized to them to her most sincere extent, but the shame remained. Or was she afraid of what would happen to her if she walked outside the gates that guarded the entrance to the Sohma home?

Her hand automatically reached for the small, decorated box beside her. Akito winced as she realized what her hand was doing, and quickly pulled it back to her chest.

This wasn't healthy. She had to let go for her own sake.

But why was it so hard?

"Akito?" Kureno's voice penetrated the hurricane that was her chaotic thoughts. "Everyone's waiting outside the Main Estate. Are you going to go?"

"I…don't know…" She mumbled. Hatori had told her that Ed had invited her, but what would everyone think if they knew that? They would hate him, since they hated her. She didn't want to go for his sake. It was better for her to be hated then for him to be hated. He'd had enough hatred in his lifetime, hadn't he?

"Just go and see her Kureno." Akito told him, trying to get off the subject. "It'll be fine. She's waiting for you, after all." Before Kureno could respond, pounding, swift footsteps outside the door reached their ears. Akito didn't flinch.

It was about time she came here to demand what was rightfully hers. Maybe if Akito gave the stupid box to her, it'd be easier to let go.

"Wait, stop! Don't let her in!!" The panicked voices of the maids sounded incredibly close by. She was fast, Akito would give her that. Finally, after another second of waiting, the door was yanked open. Akito simply glanced over her shoulder, expression completely neutral.

Ren stood there; sweat pouring down her face, long black hair trailing behind her, and a crazed look in her eyes. Akito felt no emotion to this. Her mother always looked like that. What she did feel anything towards was the small kitchen knife held tightly in her grip.

Ever since the incident with Envy, Akito had developed a new phobia of anything sharp that was not attached to the arm of the Fullmetal Alchemist.

Her mother stared at her, the maids who Akito defined as 'Ren haters' and 'Akito haters' behind her, staring anxiously at the two. Kureno was alternating his head back and forth between the two, fear decorating his facial features. After taking a moment to catch her breath, Ren spoke in a monotone voice.

"I woke up from a nap not ten minutes ago, and my head was suddenly clear as day. I should have done this long." She held up the knife and pointed it at Akito, eyes wide with insanity. "Give. Akira-san. Back."

Akito said nothing, eyes locked on the small dagger. Dread crept up her skin, but she fought hard to hold it down.

"I'm talking about the box." The head maid gasped in shock. "That's right, I know all about it. Now give him back! _**Everything associated with Akira-san belongs to me!!**_"

Akito breathed out slowly through her nose, trying to calm down. _"She just wants the box."_ She told herself. _"Just give it to her and she'll leave me alone."_

Out of nowhere, she suddenly decided that it was best to go and join the others out by the main gate. At Ed's side was probably the safest place on Earth.

"Fine, take it." She said in a flat tone to match her mothers. Akito picked up the box, fighting the urge to cling to it and never let her have it. "I don't need it anymore."

The Head of the Sohma family tossed to Ren, who dropped her knife to the ground (Akito felt intense relief) and caught it deftly. Face filled with crazed happiness, she tore it open and stared inside.

For another ten seconds, Ren said nothing, her expression didn't even change. Akito watched her carefully, and sighed, both in relief and in sadness.

"Yeah." She muttered, a single tear escaping her cheek. "It's empty, and it always has been."

Silence gripped the room in its cold, relentless claws. The 'Ren haters' were staring at Akito incredulously, clearly not believing what they had just witnessed. The Zodiac leader ignored them, instead walking over to her jacket that was hanging on the chair of her desk. She had ten minutes before the others left on that charter bus, and she was going with them whether they liked it or not.

"Kureno," The former Zodiac Member jumped as though he had been snapped out of a trance. "You'd better get going. You'll be late."

Her words broke the spell laden on everyone, and Ren's gaze turned from inside the empty box over to Akito, fiery anger breaking out across her already contorted features.

"You knew this all along, didn't you?" She whispered murderously. Her tone was starting to resemble someone's voice that would forever haunt Akito. "You had Shigure tell me that stupid story so you could laugh at my expense when I found out."

"Believe what you want." Akito said calmly, trying to fight the overwhelming memories of The Sin that had tried to kill her not three weeks ago. "I don't care. The box is yours now, do what you want with it."

Ren grabbed the knife lying beside her, setting Akito's nerves on end. Goosebumps traveled at lightening spend up her back. The demented look had returned, this time with the intent to kill.

"_**HOW DARE YOU TRICK ME?!**_" She screeched. "_**I'LL TEACH YOU TO MESS WITH ME!!!**_" In a similar way to Envy, she charged, knife at the ready to slice through Akito.

Abruptly, her mind sped up, making everything else slow, including her own actions. Ren vanished, and in her place was The Homunculus Envy. The spiky green hair swung behind him, sharp as needles and twice as deadly. That muscled, lithe form smoothly sprinted to her, clad in skin-tight clothes. Envy's eyes glared eagerly at her as he prepared to finish what he had started.

His cat-like, sickly purple eyes paralyzed her. She couldn't move. Akito vaguely heard Kureno shout her name, and fortunately, it was all she needed to break away from the poisonous gaze in front of her. The knife he held swung back.

This time, Ed wasn't around to protect her.

She flinched away, unable to get her legs going, and prepared for the same sound that still rang in her ears to this day: the sound of a sword slicing cleanly through human flesh.

It never came.

Instead, she heard the sound of metal scraping against metal, and a loud, familiar grunt of strain. She could identify them easily after the battle with Envy.

The Sohma family head opened her eyes, allowing the tiniest sliver of light to leak in. All she saw was white, but not the kind of white she had expected to see after dying. Instead, it was the white of a shirt.

She glanced up and was met with a vivid shade of gold. Wait, she knew that shade of gold. Hadn't she seen it before, only it was streaked with blood?

Realization dawned on her, and she opened her eyes fully to take in the image. His mismatched feet were planted firmly on the ground, and metallic arm blocking her mother's attack. He shielded her body with his own in case he couldn't stop it in time.

Ed had protected her, once again.

Beyond him, she could see her mother, a look of disbelief adorning her face. The sharp edge of her knife was held firmly in the iron grip of Ed's hand.

"Easy there." He muttered, tightening his grip on the knife. Ren's face went from shock to anger so quickly Akito wasn't surprised that it didn't change into another emotion.

"_**STAY OUT OF MY WAY!!!**_" She shrieked, yanking the knife out of Ed's hand. Interestingly enough, red sparks flew from where the two different metal types scraped against each other like mini fireworks. Ren held the knife at ready, preparing to pick up from where she left off, when Ed lunged forward at an impossible speed, driving his metal knee into her stomach.

Ren let out a loud, painful grunt as the prosthetic leg made contact to her flesh. She gasped unevenly for air and slumped over. The alchemist calmly and carefully caught her and lowered her to the floor. Now that Akito's brain was working, she noted the stares of Kureno and both her and her mother's maids. Both they were all very similar: Shock, traced on the surface with fear.

The Zodiac 'god' let her heart calm down before speaking. "E-Ed-"

"I got worried when you didn't show up." He stated; his gaze still locked on Ren. The blonde alchemist's voice was calm, but sprinkled generously with shaky relief.

"Ed I-" She never finished because, faster than probably any human being had done before, Ed stood up, spun around, grabbed Akito's coat, wrapped his metal arm around Akito, and marched her out the door where he had come in; the one leading outside and towards the gates to the Sohma estate.

The alchemist steered her away from the grand mansion she lived in and swiftly weaved his way around the other buildings, where the other Zodiac Members lived. The silence began to scare Akito so, as one would do in an awkward situation, tried to break it.

"Hey, umm…Ed?" She started out timidly, trying to find the correct words. "Why did you…come find me?"

_xxxxxxxxxx_

_Culmhne leat an t-am nuair a bhi tu sasta?_

_(Do you remember the time when little things made you so sad?)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

"Did you not want to come?" Ed stopped short, releasing his grip on Akito, and looked at The Zodiac 'god' perplexingly. They weren't too far from the main gate, and still had a few minutes.

"Well…I…" She trailed off. She couldn't tell whether he was angry or not, or what he wanted to hear from her. What was she supposed to say, anyway? The alchemist sighed through his nose, and self-consciously rubbed the back of his skull.

"Look, I guess for someone like you, asking you to come along on a trip with lots of people is probably…well, pretty scary, so you don't have to go if you're too nervous."

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_An culmhne leat an t-am nuair a bhi tu ag gaire?_

_(Do you remember the time when simple things made you cry?)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

Akito could only stare at him. Was that the only thing he was worried about? Why did he come back for _her_, of all people?

"Why me?" She asked aloud, her voice just above a soft mumble.

"What?" He tilted his head ever so slightly to the side; a simple and subtle sign of curiosity.

"Why did you ask me to come along?" Akito felt tears well up in the pool of her ears. "You…could've left me behind…and…I deserve it…"

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Ta an saol iontach ma chreideann tu ann?_

_(Is it just me, or is it just us, feeling lost in this world?)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

Ed was too compassionate; so much like Kureno, always striving to help others despite the cost. She had done such malevolent things to others, to him! Why was he offering to pull her along the path of life? Why was he offering forgiveness?

Why was he trying to not leave her behind?

"Akito, if you had the chance to start over with everyone, would you take it?" Ed's voice interrupted her sad reverie.

"What?" She whispered. It took her a moment to grasp what he said. Her head ever so slightly nodded on its own accord.

"Well then, take it." He held out that fake hand of his. It glittered and shone in the sunlight, like a polished jewel. "And you don't have to hurry into this thing; you can take your time. You can get to know everyone, not as the Chinese Zodiac, but as friends, companions, and the people they are."

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Tug aghaidi ar an saol is; sonas siorai inar measc?_

_(Why do we have to hurt each other; why do we have to shed tears?)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

"In turn, they can get to know you for who you are, and not as 'god'. And maybe you can earn their forgiveness. It'll take time: a few weeks, and month, maybe even a year. But one day, you'll forgive each other. It'll happen, I know it will, because it happened for me. It took five years, but it happened, nonetheless."

She stared at him, at his outstretched hand, and into those piercing golden eyes, where she could see no lie in his words. A lopsided, friendly, if not cocky, smile spread across his face.

"And I won't leave you behind, I promise."

_'No one will leave you behind.'_

It felt like so many eternities had passed since her father had told her those words, leading her in that spiral downwards into a dark and twisted world. She held onto those words like a prayer, a wish. Never letting them go, and afraid of what would happen if she did.

In a way, though, he was right, but all she had needed was for someone else to say that to her.

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Ceard a tharla do na laethanta sin_

_(Life can be beautiful if you try)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

Maybe then she could walk.

Slowly, as though in a trance, Akito reached out; she carefully grasped his fake hand, like she would break it if she squeezed too hard. The metal felt cold against her skin, like ice, but it felt more alive than anything else she had ever touch. Ed delicately and gently wrapped those metal appendages around her shaky hand.

"There, see?" He said gently; a tone that, with jolt, reminded her of Akira. "Now we can start walking-hey, why are crying?"

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Ceard a tharla do na h-oicheanta sin_

_(Life can be joyful if we try)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

She couldn't help it. The salt water just started running down her face on its own. Years of frustration and pain poured from her eyes in thick cascades. A quiet, suppressed sob betrayed her efforts to stop.

"T-thank you…" She sniffled, feeling the cool, living metal touch her cheek, and wipe away the streams of emotions. It was like he was gently taking away the feelings of hardship for her.

"You know, long ago, I probably wouldn't be able to talk to someone like this." Ed commented. "But something's changed in me, and that's a good thing. So someday, something will change in you."

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_An culmhin leat an t-am; nuair a bhi tu faol bhron_

_(Tell me I am not alone; tell me we are not alone in this world, fighting against the wind)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

Akito hastily dried her tears after another long moment, taking a deep breath so she could speak. "Can we go now...Otou-san?"

"Yeah, the others are waiting, plus, we'll miss the bus if we don't hurry." He let go of her cheek, keeping a firm grip on her hand. She trotted close behind him, feeling extremely nervous and wanting nothing more than to cling to him, bury her face into his shirt, and hide.

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_An cuimhin leat an t-am go siorai sileadh?_

_(Do you remember the time when simple things made you happy?)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

The last time she felt that way was during a thunderstorm when she was little, not a few weeks before her father died. Akira Sohma had heard her cries, scooped her up in his arms and let her hide from the thunder. All the while, he whispered in her hair that it was OK and it was just noise that couldn't hurt her. Soon, she grew out of it.

Something in the back of her mind told her that she would grow out of this fear, too.

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Na ndeor an ormsa no orainne a bhi an locht?_

_(Do you remember the time when simple things made you laugh?)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

* * *

**Downtown restaurant, 3:30 P.M…**

"Uotani-san, Table 3 needs a refill!"

"OK!" For Uo, any other day at work probably would have bored her to death. It was worth the pay, though, despite her silent complaints.

But right now, she wished she could just feel bored instead of the jittery nerves that were making her jump each time someone opened the door to the café.

Kureno Sohma actually called her, and Tohru had burst into tears upon learning it.

But…why now? Did it have something to do with Ed? Was he the reason Kureno wanted to see her now?

She couldn't know for sure, but her gut told her that, and so Uo made a mental note to do something special for Ed the next chance she got.

"Here you are!" She said, upon arriving at Table 3, to the small girl who had requested a soda refill.

"Thank you!" She responded, taking a long sip from the straw.

Uo smiled, and walked back to the kitchen. But before she could fully step through the door, the restaurant door opened. The yankee glanced over her shoulder, and froze with her left foot halfway to the ground.

A man, looking like he was in his early twenties, walked in calmly. Or course, anyone could see the nervousness in his eyes. His brown hair swished slightly as he lifted his head up and locked eyes with hers.

Neither said anything, nor did they move, until someone from the kitchen called out to Uo.

"Uotani-san, what's wrong?"

"I…think I need to take a break." She responded in a shaky voice. She let go of the swinging door and slowly, like taking the time to tread on fragile ice, approached him.

"Hey." She said casually, try to take it easy.

"Hello." He replied, his voice cautious.

"Ya know, I didn't really think you'd come." She stated, looking him over. Why was it that when she hadn't seen him for a long time, she couldn't detect all the stress she had been holding in? Seeing him again made it all deflate, leaving her a little dizzy.

"Why not?"

"Well, I don't deserve it."

"No." He denied, bowing his head to the floor in shame. "I'm the one who doesn't deserve it."

"I understand why you couldn't leave Akito-san." Uo said, her tone showing hints of melancholy.

"There's one last thing I need to do for her." Kureno's voice was low and a little sad.

"What's that?"

"I have to leave, or rather, disappear." He told her. "That way, Akito will stop being sick at heart."

"So that means…you can go anywhere, right?"

"Yes…" The Ex-Bird responded.

"Then, I'll go anywhere, too." Kureno started at Uo's matter-of-factly tone, his eyes wide with disbelief. "And do you know why? Hmmph. I'm not gonna' say it." Kureno smiled, one of the first true ones he had smiled in a long time.

"I know you aren't." Uo grinned too, the smallest of tears just being born in the corners of her eyes. "Now then, may I treat you to Tororo Soba?"

"Hell yeah!!" Uo triumphantly punched the air, spinning around on her heels and hurrying to the nearest table. "By the way, are you sure Akito-san's gonna' be fine on her own?" Kureno laughed.

"She's not alone." He told her, to Uo's mild surprise. "Akito found a replacement before I even left. Preferably, he's one that will steer her down the right path."

* * *

**Downtown Aquarium, 3:30 P.M…**

"Akito-san! Akito-san, come look!" Ed glanced up from the small tank of hermit crabs he had been observing to see Akito warily shuffle away from his side over to Tohru and Yuki on the opposite end of the room, who was standing in front of a large, tube shape glass cylinder. Several small, pink, blob-like creatures floated lazily inside. "Look Akito-san, it's a jellyfish-san!"

"You mean there are fish made out of grape jelly?" The Zodiac 'god' asked shyly.

"Nope, I think that jellyfish are named after the jelly we eat." Yuki commented.

When Ed had lead Akito out of the Main Estate, he found that his father and Shigure had arrived, as well as the charter bus. Tohru, Hohemheim, and Hana had hurried over to the pair and greeted the Sohma family head enthusiastically, while the Zodiac Members simply blanched in shock. The alchemist ignored their stares, and instead dragged Akito right past them all and onto the bus.

Without words, he had made his point across that Akito was coming with them whether they liked it or not. Besides, they all figured that it was going to be difficult to separate the shy girl from him anyway.

The whole time on this trip Akito had said little, but mostly out of her amazement of all the colorful fish swimming around in the tank than shyness.

"Are you having fun, Ed?" His father's voice cut though Ed's careful study of one particular crab that was climbing into another shell. He walked up to him with Shigure at his side. However, the Dog kept on walking by, intent on examining the seahorses.

"I never thought that so many kinds of fish existed." He laughed. "Or even that creatures like these lived at the bottom of the ocean."

"Hey Ed-chan, Hohemheim-san!" Kagura called out to them. Hiro, Ritsu, and Momiji stood beside her, focusing on another large pool of life in front of them, bathing the two in a bluish glow. "Come look at the stingrays!"

"Coming!" Ed called. On his way to the other side of the room, Ed was joined by Akito, who stuck by his side like glue. Personally, Ed thought that it was rather cute, kind of like a small duckling following its parent around. He'd never admit that, though.

"See, look at them all." The Boar pointed eagerly into the depths of the tank, where the thin stingrays flew around in the tank, their sides waving like ribbons.

"They remind me of birds." The Monkey said quietly, watching the rays. "I heard that they can jump out of the water, too!"

"That's right Ritsu." Kagura agreed.

"Is it true that there's a place up ahead where we can feed them?" Momiji bounced up and down excitedly, grinning from ear to ear.

"For the tenth time, yes." Hiro groaned, striding out of the area into the next one, which was filled with reef life.

"I still can't get used to it." Hohemheim of Light murmured, for Ed's ears only. "He sounds so much like Alphonse."

"I still wonder to this day what my expression was like when I first met him." Ed groaned. "I bet I looked like I'd seen a ghost."

"Thanks for warning me beforehand; saved me a lot of embarrassment." The aged alchemist murmured to his son.

"No sweat."

Ed remembered his father's theory on why Hiro sounded so much like Alphonse. Apparently, back in 1933, Hohemheim had known a man named Alphonse Heiderich, Al's double on this side of The Gate. He studied rocketry and had a sickly body, but was able to father a child before he passed away. Hohemheim had taken the boy and Alphonse's wife with him to Japan after the bombing. There, the child had grown up and married both himself and his mother into a successful family known as the Sohma's, but that was years ago.

If his father's theory was correct, then that meant that Hiro was a descent of Alphonse Heiderich, which made him either The Ram's great-grandfather or grandfather.

_'Guess it's just genes or something.'_ Ed had concluded. He had resolved not to bring it up with anyone until he knew for sure.

He was snapped out of his deep thoughts upon spotting Kisa standing in front of a tank that held some of the larger fish in the building. There was a strange look on her face that Ed had never seen before. Curious, he walked over to her.

"Kisa?" He asked. She didn't move, or acknowledge him. She just kept on staring into the depths of the water. "Hello, Kisa?" He snapped his fingers close to her ear, which definitely got her attention.

"EEP!" She jolted slightly, jerking her head in Ed's direction quickly. "Oh, Onii-kun, hello."

"Are you OK?" He asked, not even bothering to hide his concern. "You look like you're spacing out or something."

"Oh, sorry. It's just," She turned her gaze back to the inside of the tank, and locked her gaze on one particularly fat fish. "They just look so yummy." She sighed dreamily.

"Say what?" Ed chuckled. "Let me guess, it has something to do with you Zodiac animal."

"Well, I am The Tiger." She reminded him. "I'm sort of a cat."

The alchemist thought this over for a moment, and then something struck him. If Kisa acted this way around live fish, then that meant…Ed turned his head around, staring into their group.

Sure enough, there was Kyo, standing with Rin and Haru (who commented on whether or not the sushi restaurant served fish from these tanks) not too far away from the pair. An expression that rivaled Kisa's in terms of concentration was plastered on his face. His red eyes darted this way and that, focused on a smaller tuna. Ed started laughing.

Well, whoever said you could fight instinct?

* * *

Akito stared into the shallow, wide pool filled with small sting rays, mouth gaping in wonder. They were so close, and sure she could easily reach out and touch one, but fear held her back.

There had to be a reason they were called _sting_rays.

"Hey Akito!" Ed's confident and out-of-nowhere voice made her jump. He had a strange habit of sneaking up on people when they least expected it.

"Yes Otou-san?" The alchemist held out a small paper bowl with tiny, gray fish piled up inside.

"It's food for the stingrays." He explained. "Would you like to feed them?"

"Uh…well…" She did want to, but the fish smelled weird, like they were rotten or something.

"Here, I'll feed them, and you can pet them." Ed rolled up his sleeves, gingerly pinched one of the fatter sardines of the pile between his forefinger and thumb, and carefully held it over the water. "Pet them with two fingers, and don't touch the tails."

"Is, umm…that why they're called stingrays?"

"Well, if they sting you, it might pinch a little, but it won't kill you."

Akito nodded, gathering up her courage. One of the larger ones, with grayish-blue skin, swam up to the tiny fish dangling over the clear and slightly smelly water. It reared up, leaped out with a splash and caught the sardine in its mouth. The Zodiac 'god' took a deep breath, pressed her two fingers against the stingrays back.

The skin felt impossibly smooth, if not a little slimy. She gasped in wonder as it finished eating the fish and swam lazily away. Ed chuckled at her childish reactions. Soon, Akito had grown confident enough that she actually started to pet them and, for the first time since she could remember, laughed. Not malevolently, but joyfully at the little stingrays that fought over which one had the right to eat from the hand.

After that, Ed had a difficult time getting Akito away from the stingray pool, but he managed. Over time, Akito figured out what kinds of fish defined them from each other. Stingrays flew like birds, sharks swam forever(though frightened of them at first, they soon grew on her) and never stopped, jellyfish wiggled this way and that in a pattern that reminded her strangely of Shigure, crabs scuttled along on their sides across the sandy floor, eels were long and hid in small rocks, and sea turtles could live for up to a century.

Finally, feeling very exhausted from running all over the area of the aquarium, Akito found herself in the souvenir shop, surround by novelty toys with pictures of dolphins and sharks on their logos, T-shirts labeled with the aquarium's name, and various knick-knacks that she wasn't sure what they did.

For a little while, she let herself act like Momiji. Ed could barely keep up with her.

"She's a handful, isn't she?" Shigure whispered to Ed out of earshot of everyone else. It was interesting to see so many people Ed knew all preparing to pay for their items of choice. Ed shrugged, but grinned.

"Well, I think it's funny." He commented. "It's weird to compare her to the Akito I first met a few months ago."

* * *

**That evening…**

Dinner had been absolutely wonderful for Ed. The alchemist had been particularly fond Uni and Temaki. Hohemheim had a wide range favorites that Ed couldn't even begin to name.

Now, with a full stomach and big grin on his face, Ed kicked his shoes after taking out the trash and prepared to retire for the night.

Thanks to the Sohma family connections, they had gotten a very large table and a wide variety of fine food. The charter bus had picked them up at seven, just as the sun set into twilight. Upon arriving back at the Main House the Sohma's (minus Shigure, Yuki, and Kyo) left. Hohemheim offered to drive Hana home, and the charter bus took the rest back to The Dog's house.

The alchemist casually strolled up the stairs, stretching his arms and yawning. Yuki and Kyo had passed out on the bus and gone to bed when they got home due to an eating contest. Yuki, naturally, had won not ten minutes after Kyo challenged him, but not without a mild stomachache. Shigure was downstairs and preparing to pull an all-nighter, and Tohru had trotted

Upon walking past Tohru's room, he spared a glance inside, and spotted a row of figurines on her nightstand. He paused to investigate, and gasped when he realized what it was.

They were tiny figurines of the Chinese Zodiac. Not surprisingly, Tohru had included a cat figure with them.

Ed laughed to himself. That was so like Tohru. However, she forgot to include someone.

Two people, in fact.

He dropped his shoes off in his room, and took a quick trip outside. Out in the grass, Ed picked up a few rocks of various colors, and returned to the house.

He strode back to Tohru's room and examined the figurines closely. Finally, he made up his mind.

"Ed-san?" He looked up at the sound of Tohru walking into the room. She was in her pajamas, a towel draping over her hair. "Is something wrong?"

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Ag mothu caiite s'ar fan_

_(You know life can be simple)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

"Nope, I'm just looking." He explained. "Did you make these?"

"Yes, I bought them while on a class trip to Kyoto, but I had to improvise a little when I made the Cat."

"They're really pretty Tohru." Ed praised her. "However, you're missing a few people." A stunned silence followed his words, and then…

"EH?!" Tohru panicked, leaning over her figurines and scrutinizing them. "W-what?! But…I thought I made them all!! Or, did one of them roll away?!"

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Cen fath an t-achrann is sileadh na ndeor_

_(You know life is simple)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

"Calm down," Ed ruffled her hair gently, gaining her attention. "All of the Zodiac is there, but your still missing someone.

"But, who-" Her question was interrupted when Ed placed the small, colorful rocks on the table, slammed his hands together in an echoing clap, and performed a transmutation.

Blue light obscured Tohru's vision, and therefore couldn't see. Spots danced before her eyes even when the light vanished. The orphan rubbed her eyes vigorously to clear it, and gasped slightly upon spotting the two small figurines Ed had created out of a few rocks.

A small rice ball with a pickled plum in its center, and a small, delicate maroon flower.

"Oh, Ed-san, they're so cute." Tohru breathed in admiration. "But, who do they represent?"

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Ta ailleacht sa saol ma chuardaionn tu e_

_(Because the best thing in life is yet to come)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

Ed smirked, a small show of his usual cocky attitude and tapped the small flower with his metal forefinger.

"This is Akito, because she's a fragile, but sweet flower. And this," He tapped the little rice ball. "Is you, because, even though a rice ball doesn't belong in a fruits basket, being the odd-one-out can always be a good thing. Look at me, I'm practically a fish out of water here."

"Ed-san…" Tohru was too moved for words, and instead, they turned into tears.

"Thank you…so much for your kindness."

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

_Ta gliondar sa saol cuardaimis e_

_(Because the best is yet to come)_

_xxxxxxxxxxx_

* * *

**Two weeks later…**

"Haha!!!" Uo cheered, stretching her arms to their limit. "Golden week's coming up in two weeks time. At last, freedom from studying!!"

"Oh Arisa, be patient." Hana scolded her. "It'll be here before you know it."

"Speaking of which, Tohru, are you going somewhere for Golden Week?" The yankee asked her friend, who looked up from her book at the sound of her name being called. Tohru shrugged.

"I'm not sure." She mused. "Shigure-san said he wasn't sure, but apparently Hohemheim-san wants to take us all somewhere."

"It must be nice to be rich." Uo moaned. "Me and my dad manage most of the time, but still, it'd be great to go somewhere fancy for once in my life."

"How's Jii-san doing, by the way?" Hana asked.

"I've actually been seeing him a lot lately. He and Ed-san are really close now, and it's nice to see that they don't argue as much anymore."

"Nothing like parental bonding to strengthen ones values." Uo sigh dreamily, but there were plenty of traces of sarcasm in her voice. "Maybe we should come over sometime and teach Hohemheim-oji-san how to play Sevens."

"Yes, and we'll see if five hundred years of knowledge have taught him anything about playing cards." Hana said ominously, clearly eager at the thought of a new opponent to wipe the floor with.

"Don't get too excited there Saki." Uo scolded her lightly. "We'll just have to wait and see." The sound of a bell ringing cut through their conversation, and Tohru quickly began to pack her bag.

"I'd better get to work, see you guys tomorrow!"

* * *

**Shigure Sohma's house, 3:45 P.M…**

_"God, there's nothing to do around here."_ Ed mentally complained, letting out a loud yawn and absentmindedly scratched an itch on his stomach. He was lying on his bed and reading another alchemy book, though he really wanted the one that Kisa had given him back from his father. He only just remembered that Hohemheim had had it since that morning, and was already concocting a plan to chew his father out for it.

Ed was roused from his half-stupor of boredom when his stomach growled noisily. Groaning as he slid off his bed, the alchemist drowsily walked out his room, making no effort to conceal his present and possibly wake Shigure up.

When the blonde youth finally reached the bottom of the steps, he spotted said Dog standing over the phone, talking to someone. Ed guessed it was Mitchan complaining about their deadline.

"Hey Shigure," Ed called out. "Do we have any curry left from last night? I'm starving."

Shigure didn't respond. Slowly, he pulled the phone away from his ear and gently placed it back.

"That was Hatori on the phone." The Zodiac Member mumbled almost incoherently.

"Is someone hurt?" Ed continued rapidly. Shigure shook his head slowly, and finally turning in Ed's direction. On his face was an expression rarely, if ever, seen on his face.

Despair and grief.

"It's your father..." He whispered. Dread gripped Ed with a vengeance, wishing so desperately he could shut out Shigure's next words, for in his heart, he already knew them.

"He's…dying…."

* * *

_**Omake time!**_

_**Backstage Blues**_

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ My God, that was too predictable. OK people, take five!!! If we get our scenes done tonight, we can all go see _**"Avatar"**_.

_**All:**_ YEAH!!!!*Exits the set*

_**Ed:**_ Alright! We've got the pieces picked out for the next chapter! *Lays music sheets out on the table*

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ OK, let's see…oooohhhh, good choices guys: Sarah McLachlan, Blue October, Rozen Maiden, Metroid Prime, Inuyasha and…hmm…Momiji!!

_**Momiji:**_ Yes?

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Think you can tackle this piece?

_**Momiji:**_ *Looks at music* "Here's to you"? I can handle that!

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Good! Ritsu?

_**Ritsu:**_ Huh?

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ *Bows* I sincerely apologize for putting you in so late in the story. I keep kicking myself every time I read my previous chapters and realized I could've added you in at various places. So…well…I'm sorry.

_**Ritsu:**_ Oh no, please, it's alright. I don't mind.

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ No, it's not alright. I'm such a terrible person for not adding in the character of my Zodiac animal sooner and-

_**Envy:**_ Hey everyone, he's here!!!!!

_**All:**_ WHAT?!

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ So soon?!?! Oh no, I thought he was coming by later on this afternoon. Um…Envy, could you go greet him for me, I'm busy right now! Be sure to give him the script with his lines highlighted, and that he gets his costume! I'll meet him on Set 3 in an hour!

_**Envy:**_ Got it.

_**Yuki:**_ Someone needs to tune the orchestra!

_**Momiji:**_ I'll go do that!

_**Kakeru:**_ Where's Hiro's costume for Scene 7?

_**Uo:**_ Right here!

_**Al:**_ Brother's script is missing!

_**Shigure:**_ It's in his dressing room!

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Ayame? Hey! AYAME!!!!

_**Kagura:**_ I can't find him anywhere!

_**Primitiveradiogoddess: **_Crap! Umm…as you can see, we're really busy right now, so I'd appreciate it if you guys leave me a review (though I probably don't deserve any for leaving everyone in the dark for so long. Writer's block kills. Period) and not flame me too harshly while we get the next chapter going. Now I've gotta go find Ayame so we can start it right away. Wish me luck! Bye!


	13. Here's To You

_**Author's Notes:**_ Tearing myself away from Team Fortress 2, my super awesome marshmallow gun, Soul Eater, and Left 4 Dead to bring you the latest installment. This chapter was so easy to write, but at the same time, it was so tough on me. I played through MGS4 again to get myself in the right mood, since I cry every single time I complete it.

…nnng…

*Salutes while shedding tears* R.I.P Big Boss/Naked Snake and Solid Snake/David.

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. The scenes that go in sync with the Fruits Basket manga also belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei. Everything else mentioned belongs to their rightful creators and owners. Plot belongs to me.

_**Inspiration for this chapter:**_ Possession by Sarah McLachlan, Simple and Clean by Utada Hikaru, Love Is Blindness by U2, Into the Ocean by Blue October, Old Snake from Metal Gear Solid 4, Come from the Inuyasha Soundtrack, Sanctuary Fortress from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Utsusemi No Kage from Rozen Maiden, and Here's To You from Metal Gear Solid 4.

_**Reminders:**_ Welcome to the theater that is my mind. While in the theater, we ask you to please refrain from the following: No smoking, no believing, no noise, no killing, and absolutely **NO** detection. This is _**"The Alchemist and the Zodiac"**_. Enjoy it with us.

* * *

Chapter 13

Here's To You

**Tohru's work building, 4:30 P.M…**

Water gently slopped inside the bucket as Tohru dipped her mop back in, careful not to spill its contents. Approximately one hour after she got to work, one of the workers rammed into another and spilled her drink all over the floor. After listening to a flurry of apologizes from the flustered employee, Tohru got to work on cleaning it all up.

The brunette looked over her work upon running the mop over the floor for the third time. Not a single drop of soda remained.

"_Now to take out the trash on the 4__th__ floor."_ She concluded mentally upon putting away her supplies in a closet and pulling out a trash cart.

"Honda-san?" A voice interrupted her thoughts, and she turned to see one of the elder ladies on the janitor force approaching her.

"Oh, yes?" She asked.

"The manager wants to see you."

"Did I do something wrong?" The brunette wondered warily. The woman shook her head gently.

"No, I don't think so. As a matter-of-fact, I think its good news."

"Where can I find him?"

"He's looking for you right now, actually. He's on the 4th floor."

"Oh, I was heading that way myself." Tohru shut the closet and pushed her cart to the elevator nearby. It quickly took her down three floors, and onto the 4th floor, which was known by the workers of the building as the lounge area for tired secretaries and a place for a coffee break for the janitors. Tohru was not surprised to see her manager sipping up some Joe from a foam cup and sitting in a plush chair.

"Excuse me, sir?" Tohru said politely, pulling her cart along with her. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes Honda-san." He set his cup aside on a small table. "Now, as you know, I offered you a raise two weeks ago, and I certainly intend to give it to you. But, what with you continuing to put in more hours than necessary, I find it appropriate to double your raise."

"W-what…?" Tohru was speechless, a huge grin forming on her face. "Sir, are you serious?"

"Yes." He stated, smiling as well. "You've been working harder than anyone we've ever hired before."

"Well, then sir," She stood straighter than normal. "I won't let you down, I'll just get back to work and-"

Tohru was abruptly cut off when rapid, urgent footsteps pounded up the stairs next to the elevator. From it burst the most unexpected person Tohru could have ever seen in this building.

Ayame Sohma.

"A-Ayame-san." Tohru stuttered. This was quite a shock. She had never seen such an expression on his face before. It was a mixture of exhaustion, worry, and fear. There was no trace of the flamboyant attitude Tohru had always seen on his handsome face before.

Something was very wrong.

"Tohru-san!" The Zodiac Snake rushed over to her, muttering an apology to her manager, who was looking at the two in confusion. His braided hair bounced after him. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Ayame-san, what's going on?!" She asked immediately. "Is someone hurt?"

"It's Sensei…" He whispered. Tohru felt utmost terror clutch her chest.

"He…might not…make it…tonight…"

"…no…" It was all Tohru could get out.

Why did it have to be now?

"Go Honda-san." Her manager said gently, breaking the shocked silence. "I'll have someone fill in for you."

"Thank you." She mumbled, bowing and racing down the stairs after The Snake.

"We'll take my car to Sensei's place!" Ayame announced, sounding very serious for once.

"I don't understand, what exactly is going on?!"

"I'm not sure, but from what Hatori-san said earlier, Sensei collapsed, and just barely managed to call him. Hatori-san called me, and I came to find you, because Sensei wants to talk to you about something!"

Tohru nearly froze from shock, and stumbled down the steps in the process. She just barely caught herself on the railing.

What on Earth would Hohemheim want with her when he was on his death bed?

* * *

**Hohemheim's house, 5:30 P.M…**

Ed flinched as another racking cough shook his father's body. Behind him, he could hear Shigure groan. How the hell could this be happening? His mind refused to register the scene before him.

Hohemheim lay helplessly on his double bed, looking like hell. The decay he had been suffering from for at least a hundred years had spread to his hands and far up his neck, just below his chin. Exhaustion traced every line on his aged face, which was far older than when Ed saw him last two days ago.

Over 80 years of not aging had finally caught up to him.

Shigure and Ed had caught a train headed into the mountains where Hohemheim lived, not too far outside the city limits. The elderly alchemist's house was actually fairly small: just a two-story, traditional building with simple accommodations. Ed, personally, was expecting a mansion of some kind, but he then remembered what his father liked. Hatori was waiting for them, looking even worse than Shigure had earlier.

'_There isn't anything we can do.'_ He had said. _'I've given him some medicine to ease any pain he might be in, but that's it.'_

Why? Why now?

"Edward, again I…I'm so grateful that you would come over to see me right now." His father rasped, pulling Ed out of his earlier memories. "I must look terrible, huh?"

The alchemist didn't say anything, just nodded. There was no point in lying to him now.

He had known for so long that his father's time was limited, and thought that he'd prepared himself for it. He was wrong, for the closer he grew to his estranged dad, the harder it was to accept the fact that he was going to die anytime.

Maybe that's why he had been to Shigure's house almost every day these past two weeks. Because he knew that he wasn't going to be around for much longer. Memories of playing cards with him and the rest of Shigure's residents, taking walks with Hohemheim and just talking over a cup of coffee etched themselves into his mind, preserving what few happy times he had with him.

"_I'm such a jerk."_

"Hatori, Shigure, could I bother you for something to drink?" Hohemheim mumbled, coughing slightly with the effort of speaking.

The two Zodiac Members nodded, and after Hatori asked him what he would like to drink, Hohemheim of Light requested tea, just to soothe his throat. Both men left for the small kitchen downstairs, and Hohemheim did not allow silence to ensue between him and his son.

"Y'know, I didn't actually think that you'd come to see me." The old man whispered.

"What do you mean?" Ed asked, shock replacing the despair he felt.

"I don't deserve it." He muttered in disgust with himself. "I abandoned you and Alphonse, just because I was a coward."

"Dad…" Ed tried to speak, but couldn't, due to a huge lump forming in his throat. The silence fought back by Hohemheim earlier finally prevailed, but not for long.

"Edward, do you believe in fate?" Hohemheim suddenly questioned him. Ed scoffed.

"Why the hell should I believe in fate," Ed's voice spat venom, but not at his father. "When it's done nothing but bring me pain?"

Despite the fact that he was dying, Hohemheim laughed, and the effort of it left him coughing.

"I figured you would say that." He wheezed when he regained his voice, and then looked at Ed seriously. "I believe in fate, especially after everything that's happened to you these past few months."

"What do you mean?" Hohemheim smiled, and it looked pretty strained.

"I think…you were meant to come here." He said simply. "Of all the places you could've appeared when you got through The Gate, it had to be Shigure's backyard. You were meant to be there." He sighed, hard.

"And you were meant to meet that kind, warm girl…"

* * *

_At least two weeks had pasted since Katsuya Honda had died, and everything was back to normal for the alchemist. Almost._

_Now, as he strolled down the street on a walk, he still felt a pang of grief at the thought of his deceased friend. Right now, he was on his way to check on Kyoko and her daughter, and offer them his assistance in any way._

_For some strange reason, his death was harder on Hohemheim than it normally was when he lost other people around him. He had seen many friends and colleagues die over the years, and it was rarely painful for him to part with them._

_Kyoko's husband had been sharper than any other student he had had before. Sometimes Hohemheim wondered if his former student had figured out his secret. But he would never know now._

_Hohemheim of Light had one other friend whose death was hard to deal with. He was an American scientist who was a renowned nuclear weapons specialist. He had drowned in his own backyard pool not too long ago, saving his daughter when she fell in. He left behind a step-wife, his little girl, and another boy. He hadn't known what had happened to them after their father died._

_Rapid footsteps interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up just in time to see a young woman dressed entirely in black hurry by him. He turned around as she passed, and immediately recognized her by her hair color._

_Where was Kyoko going so soon after her husband's death?_

_Feeling a little more worried, not for Kyoko, though, he picked up his pace; turning down the street the address on the little piece of paper he had with him._

_Was she alone?_

_Hohemheim trudged up the stairs to the floor just above the street. The small apartment hadn't changed much as far as he knew, other than the dead plants hanging on a windowsill, withered due to extended neglect._

_He paused as he lifted his fist up to knock. Should he really be going in when Kyoko wasn't home? He wasn't sure what Kyoko was up to, but she shouldn't leave her child unsupervised._

_Taking a deep breath, he let his hand pound gently on the door with swift precision._

_There was no answer for at least a minute, until tiny, almost silent footsteps came within his range of hearing. The doorknob jiggled slightly and slowly opened, and a pair of worried, ocean blue eyes stared at him from beyond the entrance._

_Tohru's short brown hair swished a little as she opened the door a little more, probably so she could look at him better. Her soft eyes studied him carefully, in a way that reminded him of the way Katsuya would examine someone; starting at his feet, lingering a moment longer on his face, and going back down to his legs._

_**'Are you sure she's not some other man's child?'**_

_**'She doesn't look a thing like Katsuya.'**_

_**'A girl like this is no consolation.'**_

_Not looking like your parents didn't mean you weren't similar to them in some way. You could even resemble them in subtle ways._

_"Hello?" Her soft, timid voice snapped him out of his reminiscing. Hohemheim watched her carefully step outside._

_"Is…Kyoko here?" He asked. Her blue eyes held traces of tears, he noted. She shook her head, and little wisps of her chestnut hair followed in a rhythmic pattern._

_It reminded him of the way Trisha would shake her head whenever she shook her head in disagreement; albeit Tohru's hair color was a little darker than hers._

_"Very well then." He turned to leave, but was planning to stick around outside in case someone else came to call. "I'll come back later."_

_"Jii-san!" A small hand grabbed hold of his pant leg, gripping with the same strength almost every child was given when it came to holding on to something. He looked down over his shoulder, and saw her quivering eyes stare at him with fear._

_"Maybe you could…stay a little while?" She requested, and her gaze dropped down to the ground in embarrassment._

_Hohemheim smiled a little, but shook his head. "Tohru, are you sure you should be inviting strange men into the house when your mother's not around?" Tohru shook her head._

_"Daddy used to talk about you a lot, Jii-san." She said. "He said you were a kind man, but why do you have such sad eyes?"_

_The aged alchemist was at a loss for words, staring down at the child clinging to him. It was a wonder that she couldn't feel the ruined flesh underneath the material of his pants. The decay had been spreading down his legs. He didn't know how much longer he had in this time. It had made him feel a little crestfallen to know he was living on borrowed time._

_But, why was it that children could see the sadness in the eyes of adults with absolutely no effort to read them?_

_Instead, Hohemheim just chuckled. "Well, adults have a lot to deal with in their life. It's hard, and I've had a long life." He was interrupted when a low, angry growl rang through the air._

_It came from Tohru._

_Hohemheim of Light stared at her incredulously, and a little worried. "Tohru, how long has it been since you've had something to eat?"_

_"I had breakfast, but that was a while ago." She said, tilting her head to the side. The angle was the same as Katsuya's whenever he was confused about something. Hohemheim had learned that when the prodigy student was in high school._

_"Would you…like me to make you some lunch?" He asked, still uncertain about coming into the house while Kyoko was out. Tohru nodded, a little enthusiastically. She stood out of the way while Hohemheim entered the house._

_It looked fine, still well-kept and actually very clean. He guessed that Katsuya's father might have come over a few times. But what about Kyoko? What had she done for Tohru lately? It was worrying, yes, but not enough for Hohemheim to want to call child services on her. She just needed time. He wondered if Trisha had gone through a state like Kyoko's when he left her, Edward and Alphonse._

_It made him queasy just thinking about it._

_Tohru followed him like a ducking as Hohemheim made his way into the kitchen. When he peeked into the fridge he found it surprisingly stocked, but that probably wasn't a good thing. Either she hadn't been feeding herself and Tohru very well lately, or Tohru's grandfather was bringing food over for them. He hoped it was the latter._

_"Jii-san…?" A tiny peep from Tohru came from behind him. "Can you…make macaroni?"_

_"Macaroni?" He repeated, turning around to face her. She nodded shyly._

_"Daddy used to make me that when I was sad."_

_"Alright then." He pulled out milk (checking the expiration date first) and butter from the fridge, and the box of dried pasta from the cabinet. Within a few minutes of heating the water, it was almost ready._

_Hohemheim absentmindedly stirred the cooking pasta in the pot, glancing over his shoulder at the fatherless child. She was staring down at her empty plate, her long bangs blocking any view of her round, gentle face. As if sensing the elderly alchemist's stare, her blue eyes shot over to him, and she started fidgeting. Hohemheim vaguely remembered Pinako Rockbell commenting on how his intense gold eyes would probably intimidate anyone under the right conditions. Not wanting to scare her, he smiled reassuringly._

_"Back home, I got a lot of comments from people telling me how I scared kids sometimes." He said casually. "So…sorry if I'm rather frightening."_

_"No, I'm sorry." The child apologized. "It's just…your eyes." Hohemheim turned the stove off, draining the pasta and mixing in the ingredients before replying._

_"I know that their color's a little unnatural, so I guess it would shock people the first time they see it." He stated, scooping up the cheesy pasta with a spoon and dumping an ample amount on Tohru's plate._

_The girl said nothing else for a little while, just quietly eating her food. Hohemheim simply made himself some tea. By the time he sat back down at the table Tohru had finished her first helping._

_"Seconds?" He guessed with a knowing smile. The child looked surprised, but nodded, handing her plate over to him quickly. "I remember the time I taught Katsuya while he was at school. During lunch, he would always ask for seconds. That man had quite the appetite."_

_"Jii-san?" Tohru piped up quietly as Hohemheim piled more pasta onto the plastic dish. "Do I…look like Daddy…in any way?"_

_The aged alchemist frowned to himself. He figured she would ask this question at one point. Hohemheim turned around and placed the plate in front of Tohru._

_"Why would you ask that question?" He continued. The fatherless girl picked up her fork, but didn't start eating._

_"Well…Mommy's been sad for a long time. She won't talk to me. Is it because I don't look like Daddy?" Her voice wavered slightly. "Is Daddy…calling her? Does she want to be with him?"_

_Hohemheim remained silent for an extended period of time, thinking carefully. What should he say without hurting this kind child? Finally, he came up with words to say._

_"Well…often, the dead do call out to the living." He said. Tohru watched him speak, clearly soaking in every word like a sponge. "Sometimes, it's to talk to loved ones, or to warn people of bad things to come, or to call their loved ones to them."_

_"I think your father is calling out to Kyoko. But not asking her to join him, but rather…tell her to live; to keep going in life. It can be difficult to interpret what they're saying to us. But I think that you can tell what they're saying to us when you think about them when they were alive. I think your father wouldn't want your mother to leave you behind."_

_"It's different for me." He admitted sadly. "My wife died a while back. I think she might be calling me to join her."_

_"Will you go be with her, then?" Tohru whispered, almost incoherently._

_"I will one day." He explained. "But it's not my time to go yet."_

"_When will you go be with her?"_

"…_I'm not sure…" He wanted to end that subject. Tohru seemed to take that as a good enough answer, and simply got back to eating her cheesy macaroni. No more words were spoken until the child put her fork down._

"_Thank you Jii-san." She said politely. "It's good."_

"_Really?" Hohemheim wondered. "All I got from my wife whenever I cooked was a lot of criticism. She said I was going to poison our kids."_

"_You have kids?" Tohru asked, eyes widening a little. The aged alchemist tensed. He really shouldn't have said that._

"…_at one point I did have two sons." Hohemheim of Light muttered. "But…I haven't seen them in such a long time."_

"_Why?" Tohru pried, her voice holding all the curiosity that a child should have. "Is that why you're so sad?" The elderly alchemist smiled; a sad, quiet smile._

"_Didn't I say before that adults have a lot to deal with in their life?" He reminded her. Tohru looked a little ashamed of herself for a moment, and then nodded._

"_Well then," Hohemheim checked his watch (taking care not to let his rotting flesh show) and stood up from the table. "I should get going. If your mother finds me in this house with you alone, I could be in big trouble."_

"_Why, Jii-san?" Tohru asked questioningly as she patted after him at a considerably quick pace._

"_Because when people are in a house when the owner isn't home, it's quite disrespectful."_

_The alchemist heard an almost silent 'oh' behind him as he opened the door. It probably wasn't smart of him to leave Tohru in the house alone, but it was better than him getting in trouble with the law if Kyoko labeled him as a burglar or something even worse if he was caught here. It would just put more stress on her shoulders than she needed already._

"_Umm…Jii-san?" He heard the child say behind him. He turned around to see her bouncing a little on the balls of her feet. "What should I say to Mommy when she comes home? Should I say something that Daddy would say?"_

_Hohemheim smiled a little. "Just say what you think you should say. It's up to you, and I can't decide that. You're more like your father than you think, Tohru Honda."_

"_You really think so?" She said with wide, sapphire eyes. A smile adorned her face as Hohemheim smiled._

"_Yes, I do."_

_As he turned to walk down the steps of the apartment, a tiny tug on his pant leg grabbed his attention._

"_Just one more thing." Tohru said worriedly, as though feeling unsure of asking this. "Do you think…that one day…I'll be able to meet your sons?"_

_Hohemheim didn't bother turning around, or telling the truth to the child. He couldn't say much about them without making her feel a little depressed, probably._

"_Maybe…" He said, but feeling thoughtful at the same time. "Their names are Edward and Alphonse. You'll know them when you meet them." He could almost imagine the little girl behind him smiling as her footsteps walked back inside._

"_Then…I will be praying…for the day I can meet them…"_

* * *

"…of course, you can imagine what was going through my mind the day I saw you again at Shigure's house, with Tohru Honda, of all people." Hohemheim laughed roughly.

"Yeah…I can…" Why was it that his father could always find a thing to laugh about even on his death bed?

"I'm glad I met Tohru." Ed commented, eyes locked on the wall beside him. "And I'm glad I met them all…Haru, Momiji, Kyo, Yuki, Shigure, Hiro, Rin, Ayame, Ritsu, Kazuma, Kagura, Akito, Hatori, Uo, Hana, and…" He trailed off, eyes casted to the ground. A prolonged silence followed his words. Hohemheim seemed to be chewing over what he wanted to say next.

"Edward…" He said quietly, capturing his attention again. "I want you to do me a favor real quick."

"Yeah?"

"Go to my bookshelf," Ed, confused but willing, quickly obliged, walking over to the massive piece of furniture that covered one of the walls of the bedroom completely. "The book I want you to have is on the third shelf. It should be on the right end."

The alchemists golden eyes scanned the rows of ancient and new books of all sizes, until one in particular caught his eye. He eagerly pulled it out of the tight squeeze of books.

"That's the one." Hohemheim said matter-of-factly. Ed looked at its cover, recognizing the title.

"You took this without my permission." Ed grunted, rejoicing in the fact that he finally had the alchemy book Kisa had given him back, but for some reason, there were lots of pieces of paper and bookmarks sticking out of its pages.

"I'm sorry about that." Hohemheim apologized when Ed walked back over to his side. "I…was reading it on New Years when I recognized something about the book."

"What's that?" The alchemist's father gently tugged the book out of his hands, flipping it open to a page.

"It's a coded book."

"What?!"

"Yes." Hohemheim exhaled slowly, preparing himself for a long speech. "Turns out that we're not the first alchemists to have crossed The Gate. I'm not sure what his name was, but he ended up stuck here after an experiment failed. He wandered this world, searching for a way back. Soon, he started from scratch to create a new method of opening The Gate. He recorded everything about The Gate in this book, and coded it so well it took me until a week ago to crack it."

"It's a one-shot deal, but…" Hohemheim arrived at the page he was looking for and pulled a folded piece of paper out, handing it to Ed. "I think this will work."

Ed unfolded the paper, and found a very intricate and complicated transmutation circle drawn on it. It was so very similar to the one he had made to try and bring Al back, but was more detailed and there was absolutely no mistakes in the equations.

Lightning struck Ed as he realized what it was.

"D-Dad…" He murmured, shocked to his core. "This is…"

His father nodded slowly. "Yes. I decoded it and figured out all the equations. This transmutation circle will bypass Equivalent Exchange." Ed's hands shook, willing his brain to fully process this.

"You can…finally go home now, Edward."

* * *

Tohru didn't even bother shutting the door properly when she clambered out of Ayame's car, but that was practically the last thing on her mind right now. She vaguely heard The Zodiac Snake climbing outside and raced to the front door, still in her work uniform.

"Ah, Tohru-kun." Shigure was at the front door, holding what looked like a cup of tea in his hand as she ran up. His face was devoid of all expression except for a little bit of sadness. "I'm glad you came."

"H-Hohemheim…san…?" She panted breathlessly, eyes wide with fear and water just forming at the edges. Shigure stepped aside, allowing her in, and in her haste, she nearly bumped into Hatori.

"Sorry." She muttered. Hatori simply smiled in forgiveness, but it looked strained and tired.

"It's alright." He said assuredly. "Go see Sensei, he's upstairs with Ed-kun." Tohru nodded gratefully, darting past him and racing up the stairs.

She arrived at a large door leading into what she believed was Hohemheim room's. Tohru quickly dried her eyes of what little moisture was collected at the corners, and knocked.

"Hello?" She heard someone call. Ed.

"It's me…" She murmured, just loudly enough for the two to probably hear her through the door.

"Come in." Hohemheim spoke this time, and she was shocked to hear how weak it was. Slowly, preparing herself for the worst, she opened the mahogany door.

The bedroom looked more like a library than a place to sleep. Books littered every corner, and a massive bookshelf covered one wall completely. Stuffed in the corner was a simple twin bed, and a weary-looking Hohemheim laying on it. She couldn't help but gasp when she looked at him.

Rotted, reddish-brown flesh covered his hands and neck, just stopping below his chin before reaching his face. He looked exhausted and old, but the glow of greeting still twinkled in his eyes, He smiled broadly, revealing new wrinkles on his now ancient looking face, in greeting.

"Hello Tohru…" He rasped. His son looked over in her direction, but didn't smile. She saw a pained look plastered on his face, mixed in with fatigue, defeat, and grief. But there was something in there that she couldn't identify, a foreign feeling that she had never seen on his face before now.

Did this have to happen now, just when Ed had cheered up so much?

"Hohemheim-san," She warily approached the two, feeling like she was intruding on the two. It was probably best if she treated this meeting like nothing else was wrong. "Umm…did you…need me for something?" The old man grinned, struggling to sit up, and wouldn't have made it two inches of his pillow if Ed hadn't helped him.

"I'm glad you came by Tohru." He said happily. "I have something to give you." The elderly alchemist reached over to the bedside table and scooped up a small box.

"In the Honda family, apparently it's tradition to pass down this little heirloom in Katsuya's line, be it a boy or a girl. He got this when he was 18, and, in accordance to his will, it was meant to be yours next."

Tohru couldn't help but stare at the small box in his shaking, rotted hands. With a bit of hesitation, she carefully relieved him of it, shivering as her fingers brushed against the dead flesh of his hands.

"It was sent to me after he died, for me to look after it, apparently. I was going to give this to you when you turned 18, but I think it's OK if you get it a little early."

Nervous and completely flattered, Tohru silently opened the box, and couldn't help but gasp at its contents. Two small, greenish-blue combs lay inside, encrusted on the edges with emeralds that fell into the centers of complicated floral designs.

"They're made of jade." He explained, ignoring the girl's reaction (mouth gaping open dumbly). "And the emeralds are over a hundred years old. It was regularly taken to a jeweler for inspection, so you might want to have someone look at that before you-oomph!!"

"T-thank you…" Tohru had reached out and hugged him tightly, sobbing her heart out for his gift, and for his impending death. "I'll treasure it…always…"

"You're quite welcome." He rasped, a harsh coughing fit following his words, which gave Tohru a hard slap to the face thinking about what was to come. She released him eagerly, worried about his breathing capability.

Ed and Tohru were shooed out of the room for a minute, allowing Hohemheim to have a private word with the Mabudachi Trio. Upon leaving the room the alchemist simply slumped against the wall, slid down, and sat there on the carpeted floor.

"Ed-san?" Tohru piped up warily. He looked like a wreck.

"Yeah?" He breathed in a slightly choked voice, eyes flicking in her direction. The brunette took a seat beside him, wrapping her arm on his shoulders tenderly. He leaned into her embrace, winding his flesh arm around her waist.

"It'll be…alright…" She murmured, more tears blurring her eyes. The blonde youth simply nodded, and that strange emotion flashed across his face again. This time, Tohru had a better idea of what it was.

He looked like he was being torn in two.

"I should consider myself lucky." Ed groaned. "I…get to say goodbye…"

It was a sore subject for Tohru, getting to say goodbye to a loved one when their time came. She hadn't the chance to say goodbye to either of her parents, but she knew Ed wasn't talking about that.

He didn't get the chance to say goodbye to Al.

The door creaking open a few minutes later alerted them that someone was exiting the room. Out stepped the three eldest Zodiac Members, each one wearing a similar expression of pain, which startled Tohru a little. She had never seen such expression of sadness on the normally flamboyant (minus Hatori) group.

"You two should stay with him until it's time." Hatori commented gravely. "You know him the best, after all."

Amidst all the grief and heart-wrenching sorrow swirling inside her, Tohru couldn't help but feel a little heartened by the comment. Ed slowly stood up, looking like he did not have to energy to do it, let alone walk. He managed, though Tohru had to steady him a little.

"Thanks…" She heard him mutter as the three men behind her trudged down the steps.

The two entered Hohemheim's room, hearing him in having another harsh fit of choking. It sounded so terrible that Tohru couldn't help but whimper. She hurried to his side and helped him take a shaky drink of water.

"Thank you." He whispered, too weak to get his tone higher. Tohru felt her eyes try to tear themselves apart. It hurt.

"I…want you to know something Edward." Hohemheim of Light rasped. The alchemist leaned forward to hear his hushed words. "I'm…glad I was able to see you here…it's a miracle that I was able to see you again when I was so close to dying."

"Dad…" He choked. His golden irises were huge with pain and shock.

"Hmm…Tohru, I'll give your mother and father your love, shall I?" He requested, prompting Tohru to release a cascade of tears down her face.

"T-thank you…"

Why was he doing so much for her?

"Although…there's a possibility I won't get to see either of them." He muttered darkly. "I've killed so many innocent people in my life…that it wouldn't be a shock if I was…punished."

"What…do you mean?" The orphan asked quietly.

"So many were killed when Dante and I sacrificed human lives just so the two of us could keep living, I probably haven't made enough amends in the short time I've had to-"

"That's not true!!" Tohru protested, prompting a disbelieving gasp from both father and son.

"Tohru, wha-"

"You've done so much for everyone in this world!" She continued, ignoring the alchemist kneeling next to her. "You gave back the ability to walk for so many, you've given them life, and you've given them a future!! There's no greater gift then the gift to heal others, so…!" She trailed off.

Hohemheim couldn't go to hell, not when he had given so much for the people of this world.

"You…really are something…" Hohemheim smiled. "A strong, kind person…just like your father…"

Tohru couldn't speak anymore, due to the painful, aching sobs wracking her body. The dying alchemist turned over to his son, who was staring at Tohru tenderly.

"Edward…?" Said person turned to his father. "I…want you to know that I'm sorry for leaving you and Trisha…and Alphonse…and if it's not too much, I'd like you to do me one last favor."

Ed didn't respond, probably because he was trying to keep the streams of salt water that were forming in his eyes from escaping. He settled instead for a slight nod.

"If…you ever get home, take my ashes with you…and bury me next to Trisha…I'd like that…and…give my regards to Alphonse…and tell him I miss him…"

Ed held still for the longest of moments, but then threw himself forward at his father while he was still lying down, sobbing in earnest.

"Dad….Dad, I…" He stuttered through his tears and the blanket covering his father. "I'm sorry!!! I'm sorry I…h-hated you…I forgive you…for everything…I'm so sorry…!!"

Through his sons tight embrace and her tears, Tohru saw him smile; a genuine, fatherly smile. And even though he was dying, Hohemheim still had the energy to embrace him back which, in turn, caused Ed to bury his face deeper into the elderly alchemist's chest.

"I love you, son…"

"I-I…love you too, Dad…"

No more words were spoken at all.

Ed didn't move away from his father, even long after the harsh breathing in the room quieted, and the light faded from Hohemheim of Light's eyes for good.

* * *

_It was all gone; everything was gone. There was no pain, or uncertainty, or even a sense of relief. Hohemheim had always wondered what it was like to die._

_Deep blackness obscured his vision, and silence pressed on his eardrums, if he had any, anyways. Maybe he had gone to hell…_

_He was proven wrong when a bright light flooded every single one of his senses. They came back when he realized he was lying on a white floor._

_Glancing up, Hohemheim spotted The Gate before him. He stood up carefully, and watched it, waiting for its first action._

_The door's swung open and, if it even was possible, brighter light came pouring it. Strangely, Hohemheim didn't need too much time adjusting to it._

_When he finally focused his eyes, there stood an all-too familiar figure, waving at him. Her soft, chestnut hair flowed smoothly in the wind around them. Her green eyes sparkled lovingly with laughter and joy. Even more tears poured from Hohemheim of Light's eyes as the woman held her arms out to him, asking for an embrace._

_"Trisha…"_

* * *

_XXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Here's to you, Hohemheim and Trisha;_

_Rest forever here in our hearts._

_The last and final moment is yours;_

_Agony is your triumph._

_XXXXXXXXXXX_

* * *

**Shigure Sohma's house, 7:50 P.M…**

The tension was so thick in the living room one could almost imagine himself cutting it with a knife. Nobody bothered looking into each other's eyes, not prepared to give away any of their current emotions.

Kyo just wished that Haru didn't have such a damn good poker face when it came to B.S.

Slyly, The Zodiac Cat peeked over the very edge of his deck, watching Yuki place two cards on the already growing deck in the center of the table, muttering with an emotionless voice 'two sevens'.

Momiji and Haru had come to Shigure's house with them since they were planning a group study for upcoming tests, but Tohru wasn't home from work yet and Shigure and Ed seemed to have gone out somewhere. So, after a bit of studying, they settled down into a card game.

Among the group of friends, the ranks of poker faces went like this:

Hana: Master of disguise; impossible to decipher.

Haru: Great at keeping his face smooth and you need a well-trained eye in order to catch him in the act.

Yuki: Emotionless, but an eye twitch can normally give him away.

Ed: Will be subjected to a little bit of sweating if he's in hot water.

Kyo: Occasionally loses his temper if caught lying.

Tohru: Expression will light up when in a good position.

Uo: Gets angry when having a bad deck in hand.

Shigure: Terrible at keeping his face straight.

Momiji: Everything shows.

"One eight." Haru murmured, and Kyo thanked his lucky stars he had 3 nines, in addition to the queens he knew Haru didn't have. In an instant, he decided to see if he could trick someone into thinking he was lying. And so, keeping his face straight and waiting for the perfect moment, Kyo pulled out his cards.

"Three nines." Kyo timed it fairly well, because Momiji immediately saw the smirk crossing his face while he pulled out his required cards.

"B.S, Kyo!!! You're lying!" He laughed. But then it faltered when Kyo continued to grin.

"Look again, squirt." He tauntingly flipped over his cards, revealing the nines. Momiji pouted, but took the cards and shuffled through his now ample deck to search for the cards he needed.

"Four tens." The Rabbit placed the cards down, and Yuki smoothly whipped out his choice of cards.

"Three jacks."

"Three queens."

"B.S, Haru!!"

The Ox indifferently swiped the cards off the table and added them to his deck. Kyo inwardly laughed, and snatched a three out of his deck.

"One king."

"Four aces!"

"Three twos."

"B.S, Yuki." The Rat scowled at the accusation, and silently picked up the cards. When he looked through them, he glared at Momiji and Kyo.

"Liars."

A fight might have broken out between The Zodiac Cat and Rat had the door not opened and three pairs of trudging footsteps walked in. Two of them approached the living room. The third set headed off in a completely different direction; up the steps. What would have been peculiar to anyone else was the fact that it sounded like both metal and flesh were heading upstairs.

"Honda-san, you're home early." Yuki called out, knowing very well who it was. "Did something bad ha-" His voice shut off when Shigure and Tohru reached the doorway to the living room and looked down at them.

Kyo's breath stopped in his throat, but he was too stunned to even choke. All he could focus on was the red coloring Tohru's kind face and eyes, and the fact that her expression was contorted with misery. Shigure wasn't looking any better.

Momiji was up on his feet in an instant, dropping his deck of cards with a flutter and rushing to Tohru's side.

"Tohru, what's wrong?!" He asked immediately. "Did something happen? Why're you crying?"

"Honda-san, Shigure, are you OK?"

A long silence ensued the bombardment of questions, giving Tohru a moment to suck in a deep breath.

"Hohemheim-san…he's gone…"

A painful emotion gripped Kyo as he gasped in shock. His chest started hurting, and a piece of him, small but significant, fell away forever. _"What…when did…why…?"_

The effect was immediate. Tohru burst into quiet sobs, and The Zodiac Dog next to her placed a hand on her shoulder; an act that would have once prompted Kyo and/or Yuki to hit him. But now, both Cat and Rat did nothing but stare, until Haru spoke in a subdued tone.

"Jii-san's…gone?"

"He died just an hour ago." Shigure's voice was dull, his usually playful voice missing. "We came home since there was nothing else we could do."

"Ed…" Kyo remembered the footsteps leading upstairs. "Where's Ed?!"

"He went upstairs; you should leave him be." Shigure told him gently.

"Is he…going to be OK?" Yuki asked warily. Shigure sighed, pinching the bridge. Kyo had never seen him look so stressed.

"Just give him some time." The Dog concluded. "We'll let him grieve in his own way, and I'm sure that, in time, he'll be fine-"

"BLLEEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCHHHHHH!!!!"

A horrible retching noise came from upstairs, startling everyone to the point where they jumped. All heads flew towards the stairs, except Shigure, who just stood there with a shocked look on his face.

"Then again, maybe not…" He said in a rather high voice. Kyo and Haru simultaneously let go of their card deck, leaped to their feet and dashed for the stairs.

"Ed-kun!?"

"Ed, are you OK?!"

Both reached the hallway atop the steps and stopped short. Ed was on his hands and knees, coughing violently, and a small pile of vomit lying before him. The Zodiac Ox raced up to him and grabbed his shoulders just as he started to slump forward.

"Easy there." Haru half-scolded, half-comforted him, rubbing his back gently. "You OK?"

"…My…stomach…." He groaned almost silently, and it was harder to hear over the sound of everyone else's footsteps pounding towards them. "It…feels like it's…tearing in two…" He gagged again, throwing up whatever was left.

"Don't push yourself." Kyo reached his side and held on to Ed as he emptied the remaining contents of his digestive system. The sound sent chills crawling up Kyo's arms, but he forced himself to ignore it.

The rest of the group reached him, all showing signs of desperate concern on their faces. Tohru knelt down next to him and wipe his mouth off with a cloth.

"Ed-san, you need to lie down." She told him. "I'll get you some medicine."

"I'm fine." He said stubbornly, and attempted to get to his feet. "Sorry…about that…let me…clean it up…"

Haru wrapped his metal arm around his shoulder, pulling him up. Kyo followed his example. "You need some sleep." He told him firmly. "Come on."

Ed didn't protest as The Zodiac Ox and Cat took Ed to his dark room. Haru went off to grab a trash can while Kyo got the alchemist into his bed. Ed rolled over after lying down and said nothing.

"Hey, don't shut yourself in here too long, 'kay?" The Zodiac Member told him, patting his shoulder. Ed hadn't taken off his dark brown, leather coat, which was weird, but he didn't think too much of it.

"Kyo," Haru appeared in the doorway. "Catch." He tossed an empty trash can into the room. Kyo snatched it out of the air and set it next to the bed.

Deciding there was nothing else he could do at the moment, Kyo left the room. He trudged down the steps with Haru to find Yuki, Momiji, and Shigure sitting at the table, looking gloomy.

"Let him sleep for awhile." Shigure said when they entered. "He just needs some time to grieve alone. You know how he is."

"We need to go." Haru told Momiji. "It's late, and I wanna' know whether or not Tori-nii broke the news to everyone else. Akito's gonna' be pretty upset, I know that much."

Shigure and Yuki went off to bed after the two other Zodiac Members went home to the main house. Kyo remained awake for a little while, making himself some ramen. He wasn't hungry, but couldn't think of anything else to do at the moment.

Upon walking into the living room, he spotted Tohru sitting at the table, with something that looked like a photo album lying before her.

"Hey." He greeted, a little emotionlessly, though. It was hard to explain, but he felt kinda numb at the moment. "I thought you went to bed already."

"Oh, hello Kyo-kun." She said, smiling, but it looked so strained it hurt him. "I was just looking through this."

"Where'd you get this?" He sat down beside her, gesturing at the small album and taking a bite of his noodles.

"I've had this for a while now." She explained. "Do you remember that trip we took last summer? To the beach, you know?"

"How could I forget that trip?" Kyo mumbled through his ramen.

"Well, we took a lot of pictures, so I made a scrapbook out of it. I didn't have many, at first, but as time went by, I added more to it."

She flipped back to the beginning of the album, and pointed at the first few pictures stored inside. One was of everyone on the beach, all clad in their swimsuits and waving as Shigure took the picture. Kyo had been reluctant to be in the picture, but had been pulled in by Haru at the last second.

The second one was of the watermelon smashing tournament to celebrate the fact that Hiro was going to be a big brother. His little sister, Hinata, had been born last month, much to Tohru's pleasure.

The third was of their last day on the beach, setting off fireworks. Tohru liked that picture in particular.

Soon, the two were flipping through the pages and recalling the memories that were shown in the pictures. Ed first showed up in a picture taken at the Sohma Hot Springs, arm-less but still smiling. Then there was the cultural festival, and Momiji had organized a photo op for Yuki, Kyo and Tohru while they were still in their costumes.

Hohemheim appeared the first time in a picture snapped on New Year's Eve. They had set the camera to the timer setting and had all posed while sitting outside and waiting for the sunrise.

Then there was a few of Ed at a theme park with Kagura, Hiro, Kisa, Momiji, and Haru, and a photo strip that made Kyo laugh inwardly. Only one photo documented the time that Ed spent at the hospital. It was, ironically, actually pretty funny.

Before Ed had caught a fever, he had gotten a visit from Kakeru and Machi, the former playfully scolding Ed for taking on thugs and not thinking clearly. The picture showed the brief few seconds of Ed getting a noogie from 'Flying Pot-kun' before the alchemist had sent him flying.

The next few pages were of everyone at the aquarium and sushi restaurant; their faces shown the happiness and the good time they were having.

"What are these?" Kyo remarked upon turning to the most recent page. These photos looked quite old. The person showing up the most in the pictures was clear. It was Hohemheim.

"I asked Shigure-san if he thought that Hohemheim-san would mind if I took a few. He said it was probably OK. This one," She pointed to the first picture. It was black and white, and the now-deceased alchemist stood in a medical tent, holding what looked like a primitive form of a mechanical arm. "Was taken just after D-Day in Europe."

"D-Day…" Kyo searched through his memory to try and remember what it was. He snapped his fingers upon finding the right date. "June 6th, 1944."

"Yes. I saw a metal next to it. It was rewarded to him for his services to the wounded. He helped a lot of other people when the armies liberated the Nazi camps." She pointed to another photograph, also black and white. He was standing in another tent, tending to very skinny looking hairless humans in jail clothing. A few had a six-pointed star emblazed on the. Kyo always felt a painful twinge of resentment whenever he thought of what had been done to the Jews and other 'inferior races' during that barbaric war.

The next one was colored, depicting Hohemheim standing in a pile of rubble, with a dark skinned girl with rich brown hair and eyes. She held an infant in her arms.

"Hohemheim-san came here, to Japan, after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing. He helped so many people without legs."

The forth was probably a lot closer to the present time, judging by the quality and color. Hohemheim was sitting at a table with two other men, the first having deep brown hair and square glasses. He was pushing them expertly up on his nose and was clad in a lab coat. The other man (also had brown hair) wore a military suit, with a few metals pinned to his chest. A cigar stuck casually out of his mouth. What was peculiar about this man was that he had an eye patch on his right eye.

"When was this taken?" Kyo asked. Tohru shook her head.

"I don't know." She pulled the photo out of its plastic slot. "The only thing written here are their names." Kyo took the photo and flipped it over, reading the scrawled words that could only be Hohemheim's writing.

**'Dr. Huey Emmerich, Hohemheim, and John Doe.'**

"You know what he said…right before he died?" Tohru suddenly said. Kyo put down the photo and looked her over. She looked weary and grief-ridden.

"He said that…he hadn't made enough amends to make up for all the people he killed." She started sobbing, breaking down into such a huge mess she could barely finish her next sentence. "H-h-he didn't t-think it was enough t-to…"

Tohru was abruptly cut off when Kyo reached out and promptly pulled her into his chest. She'd done enough crying, already.

It was a peculiar sensation for a Zodiac Member to transform. First, all feeling was lifted from the body and left completely numb. Then, the next thing they would now they would be in their animal forms and used to the body.

Kyo went though that now as smoke obscured his vision. His shirt slid off his furry back as he glanced up at Tohru, who was embracing him still.

"Hohemheim lived a good life." He told her, a little sternly. "He helped millions of people live again; he gave them something to live for. I think…that's enough, don't you?"

Tohru smiled through her tears, and this time, it was genuine. Her face was colored red, but what Kyo didn't know that it wasn't from crying.

"Yeah…it is…"

* * *

_XXXXXXXXXXX_

_Here's to you, Kyoko and Katsuya;_

_Rest forever here in our hearts._

_The last and final moment is yours;_

_Agony is your triumph._

_XXXXXXXXXXX_

* * *

**The next day…**

All of it was true.

Ed let his eyes go through every single equation his father had written out and then double checked it on the little paper with the transmutation circle on it. He did this unconsciously and on instinct. The other half of his mind, the part of him that was grieving and in shock, shouted at him to stop. To just throw that book in the corner of the room and deny every single thing written in those rumpled pages. To deny every single truth exposed to him and forget it all.

For once, he didn't want to know the truth. The scary, painful truth written out for him and tore him apart.

It was his third time reading through the book before dawn began to tinge the distant horizon, or at least, that's what his digital clock told him. His eyes easily fought sleep from years of experience of pulling all-nighters when reading through alchemy books and searching for a way to fix his little brother.

The alchemist knew that eventually come morning Tohru would come to check on him, so he sealed his door and window away from the world via alchemy. All that lit his room was the small desk lamp.

At 6:45, footsteps shuffled to and fro outside, occasionally stopping in front of his room, and then continuing. Finally, around 7:30, he heard knocking on the spot where his door used to be.

"Ed-san…" He heard a soft voice timidly call. "Are you OK in there?"

He didn't answer, and knew she would respect that. She always did. She never questioned him, contradicted him, criticized him, she could always find something in him that she respected.

More footsteps. He heard Kyo's muffled voice speak to Tohru, but he could pick out the words.

"I checked outside. He's sealed off his window, too."

"There's nothing…sharp…in there, right?" Yuki muttered, but Ed was able to pick it up. It almost made him laugh.

Right now, any attempt of suicide was the last thing on his list.

The foremost thing was the heart-breaking truth before him. Lying in those pages.

Silence followed the Zodiac Members words, before another knock, this time louder and frantic, echoed through the wall he created.

"Ed-san…hello?!"

Hearing her worried sick about him made the alchemist feel queasy, and he had to hold back dry heaves as he responded, his voice low and grief-stricken. He had thrown up again last night, right after reading the deciphered alchemy book the first time, but only out of the anger he felt at himself.

"Yes…?" He murmured, just enough for her to hear. A sigh of relief floated into his ears.

"Are you hungry? I made pancakes."

Pancakes: his favorite. She was trying to cheer him up. Honestly, he was amazed that she was going to school after yesterday, but then again, she did have tests to take. He vaguely wondered how Uo and Hana would take the news about Hohemheim's death; just a brief flare of curiosity in the chaotic swirl of pain and misery, a lighting flash, and then nothing.

"No…" He mumbled again. A pause followed his words, and then more.

"I'll…leave you some in the fridge, and then you can warm them up if you get hungry, OK?"

The blonde youth didn't respond. Ever single word he shared with her just pulled them closer together; an action he never should have taken in the first place.

The house was completely silent after their little exchange, and Ed wondered if Shigure was up at the main house or sleeping (an unfortunate drawback of being a novelist: a wacky sleep schedule). He guessed the former.

Ed groaned, fell flat on his back and made the feather pillow below him puff up noisily from the disturbance. He let the book fall from his limp grasp. He didn't have the energy to do anything but relieve those last few private moments he had with his father.

* * *

_'You can go home'._

_How long had he been waiting to hear those words?_

_Home, where he belonged, where he had friends waiting for him, searching for him, worrying over him, thinking of him…Winry, Hawkeye, Armstrong, Pinako, Teacher, his brother…_

'_Welcome home, Ed-san!'_

_'Let's go home.'_

'_Onii-kun…"_

_The moment the words left his father's mouth, he realized how much he didn't want to hear them as well._

_Ed knelt there at his father's side, blankly staring at the page whilst his mind went a mile a minute. War erupted inside him, battling away and tearing him apart. One side wanted to run outside, draw the circle, and leave this place. The other argued furiously, and what it said surprised him._

'_Isn't…this…home?'_

"_Edward…" His father groaned, briefly initiating a cease fire with the conflicting emotions. "You can…go home now and…see Alphonse."_

"_I…I…" Ed couldn't say anything. His brother, wasn't that the most important thing to him? His only reason for living?_

_Shouldn't he be thinking of Al first? Why wasn't he?_

"_I told you before Edward." Hohemheim stared at him with a disturbingly knowing look in his eyes. "It's only a one-shot deal. The transmutation will get you to the other side intact, but the power of it will greatly upset The Gate inside you. It would be suicide to pull it off again without a proper Equivalent Exchange."_

_The alchemist's breath seemed to catch in his throat. He didn't want to hear; he didn't want to hear anything._

_"Once you leave this place…you will never be able to come back."_

_Why? Why must there always be a catch?_

_Ed dropped his eyes, fighting the pain that threaten to make them spill over._

_The war within him started all over again._

* * *

Why would he leave, and why wouldn't he? There were so many reasons he shouldn't leave, and should leave.

But he had to go home, and he had to stay.

Go home to the brother who gave himself up for him, and stay with the family he had longed for.

He finally understood what 'being torn in half' meant.

Ed wanted to leave, and go home to the familiar town of Resembool, hear Den barking as he walked up a pathway to visit the Rockbells, watch Mustang's unit make bets each time Havoc went out on a date, train with his teacher 'till she either knocked him out or he dropped, and see his brother in the human body that he strived to recover.

Ed wanted to stay, and be with the new family he had discovered. The Sohma's took him in without question, without a word of protest, and simply viewed him as a person who rightfully belonged here.

Was it fair that he needed both to live?

The alchemist finally had enough of reading that dark truth, and tossed the book somewhere in the corner of his room. He curled up on his bed and shut off the light, encasing him in total darkness, but couldn't fall asleep.

He should have taken up Hohemheim's offer of staying with him. Doing that, it may have been harder to part with his estranged father, but at least he would be the only one Ed missed.

Somewhere, in the corner of his brain, an alarm had been going off. He knew the consequences of getting close to someone here, but he had ignored them.

He should never had bonded with this strange family, found two best friends in Haru and Momiji, an almost brother-like friendship with Kyo and Yuki, a sisterly bond with Kagura, a small child he cared for in Akito, and a mother in Tohru that he had been deprived of.

And he should never have, inconceivably and surely, fallen in love.

He couldn't leave her; he couldn't tell them he could leave. He didn't want to see the pain of separation on their faces when he left. It would prevent him from leaving at all.

Ed felt his eyes, for the umpteenth time that day, sting painfully. It would kill him if he left, and it would kill him if he stayed.

"_I love you…I want to leave…I don't want to leave…I love you…I'm sorry…I love you…I have to go…I don't have to go…I love you…I want to go home…I want to stay here…I'm sorry…I love you…"_

* * *

**The Main House of the Sohma's, 11:30 A.M…**

Akito's tired, darkened eyes stared out into the garden just beyond her room. Hatori had brought her the grave news of Hohemheim's passing. It was saddening, but she all she could feel was worry for the son he had left behind.

She had seen the other Zodiac Members moping around a little the previous night, and had gone to school, leaving Akito to her own concerned thoughts. Hohemheim was to be cremated tomorrow, but what was she to do? She had never attended anyone else's funeral other than a few Sohma's that had died since she was born (as the head of the family, she had to pay her respects). What would it be like to be a spectator?

Thinking about this didn't help much. She had to help Ed get through this; it was the only thing on her mind right now.

"Akito?" She heard someone call behind her. Shigure; figures he would come visit.

She vaguely turned her gaze around as the Zodiac Dog walked in. A jolt passed through her. Since when did Shigure, fickle, playful Shigure, ever look this exhausted and stressed?

"You're not locking yourself up in your room again, are you?" His tone was a little teasing, but she could hear the strain behind it.

"No." She replied, turning her eyes back to the outside garden. "I'm just thinking, y'know, about Otou-san." Shigure chuckled, and this time, she could detect sincere laughter.

"It's amazing how you see him that way." He commented. "Are you that desperate to find a replacement for Kureno?"

The Zodiac leader growled silently. He had to bring that up, didn't he? Well, he wasn't making it any better on himself either.

"I…I care about Otou-san." She stated. "I see him that way because of everything he's done for me."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." The Zodiac Dog was just being difficult. "Otou-san saved my life, twice; I owe him mine. It's as simple as that."

"Are you that worried about him?" He mused. "If you must know, the last I checked, he locked himself up in his room, or rather, sealed it up. He's not coming out anytime soon."

Akito grit her teeth and sighed, hard. That was one of the many problems with this whole stupid situation. She probably couldn't help Ed that much. That task was to be left in the hands of another. Preferably someone who knew him on a level no one else did.

"I'm just gonna' have to wait." She concluded, rubbing her forehead with a groan. "There isn't much I can do right now for him."

Silence followed sharply on the heels her statement. One could almost feel the tension crackling in the air. Shigure's footsteps walked to the table in the center of the room, and Akito heard the rustling of fabric as he sat down.

"You've changed, y'know?" He sighed. "When did you start caring about others so much?"

"And when did you start sticking your nose into my business?" She snapped back. "The last I checked, you didn't give a damn about me. I bet you weren't even worried about me when Envy kidnapped me and Kisa."

"You're jumping to conclusions again." Shigure noted thoughtfully. There was no anger in his voice, but that only made her all the more upset.

"Are you jealous of Otou-san?" She asked. "Jealous that he was my knight in shining armor and you weren't?"

"No." There was truth behind his words. "I'm just surprised about how that whole scenario turned out for you in the-"

"YOU WEREN'T THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED!!! STOP MAKING ASSUMPTIONS!!!" She shrieked, finally snapping. How could he think that way? Why was he even questioning Akito's views on the alchemist now, of all times, especially with his father dead?

Akito glared at him, her eyes stinging painfully. Shigure looked bemused, and a little taken aback. Trying so very hard to keep her voice steady, Akito continued in a tight voice.

"You weren't there…" She spat. "You weren't there when Otou-san nearly threw everything, his chance to get back home, the life his brother gave him, away for my sake." The pools of salt water finally broke free of their hold.

"I…thought it was all over." She sobbed. "I thought I was…going to die…but then, he was there, right there protecting me, _me_, of all people…"

She would never forget that moment; that psychotic, blood-thirsty grin, those insane, slit eyes, the long sword preparing to impale her, the sound of metal slicing cleanly through flesh, tissue, organs and fibers, the splattering of blood on the stone floor, Ed struggling for air as the rusty liquid blocked any attempt to breath, and his screams for them to run as he still tried to ensure their safety.

"I'll…I'll never be able to repay him…" She whispered. "Why...?"

"You honestly haven't figured it out?" Shigure interrupted. "Ed-kun feels indebted to you. You let him stay at my house when we could've kicked him out on the streets. He would've had nowhere to go."

"In all honesty, I'm amazed he appeared in my backyard in the first place." He noted. "Well, I have to thank you for that, since you kicked me out of this place."

"And with good reason." She growled.

"Are you still sore about that?" Shigure asked hurtfully, but there was a teasing tone behind it. "I thought that by now, you would've let that go."

"You did that to spite me!!!" She retorted, about ready to chuck something at him. "You were looking for an excuse to get back at me!!"

"Just like who you sleep with is your business, who I sleep with is my business."

Words failed her epically. There was just no end to this subject, was there? Kureno was now in a relationship with someone who he didn't pity; and her mother had stopped bothering her (Though the glares from her maids didn't end). So…how was she supposed to patch things up, now?

"…Shigure…" She turned her head away, tired from the onslaught of emotions. "I…I love Otou-san, but not for the reasons you think. I love him because he's everything my father wasn't. He's kind, and-"

"What now?" Shigure chuckled. "Are you blaming Akira-san for how you turned out?"

"In a way, yes." She replied. It was Akira's words that had led her down this path; this dark, twisted path of the Zodiac ways. Times had changed, and no one could've seen Kureno's curse breaking.

"Are you upset about something else?" Shigure asked her, but this time, there was concern behind his words.

"I….I guess I'm just stressed out." Akito groaned. "What with Jii-san passing away so suddenly and the fact that I don't know what I can do to help Otou-san. He's lost almost everything…the hell he's been through, his brother, now his father…what can I do for him?"

"…"

Another silence pounded painfully on Akito's ears. Even Shigure was at a loss for words, it seemed. She could tell that he was grieving over the death of his old friend in his own way, just like she was.

"I heard a rumor from Hatori." The Zodiac Dog suddenly said. "You're planning a little gathering for us Zodiac Members, right?"

She wasn't allowed to have secrets anymore, was she?

"I'm…going to 'end it'." She had firmly decided this a while ago, but hadn't told anyone but The Zodiac Dragon of her plans. "Kyo's free, and I'll have that isolated room destroyed when I can."

"When did you plan this out? You know very well that there will be resistance from the other family members and Kyo's father."

"I'm tired of this." She whispered. "The curse is breaking, but I'll have to make an announcement as soon as I can."

Footsteps headed in her direction, but she didn't bother turning around. A hand gently laid itself on her shoulder.

"Well, no wonder you're so stressed out." He chuckled. "You have so much on your plate that you're trying to get done all at once. For now, let's focus on getting past Sensei's funeral; let's just do one thing at a time, and then maybe it'll be easier."

His close proximity lulled her into a soothing sense of security, like the way he would rock her to sleep when she was a child. For one, brief moment, she let her feelings take over, and leaned on The Dog's shoulder, bracing herself to be rejected.

Shigure didn't push her away. He probably never would again.

* * *

**Shigure Sohma's house, 6:30 P.M…**

Gaze fixated on her feet, Kisa steadied her breathing for the fifth time since leaving the Main house to come here.

Haru had brought the news to everyone the previous day, and the only thing that kept her from leaving the house at that time to check on Ed was her shock.

Why did this have to happen now? Especially when Ed had been doing so well?

Now, here she stood at Shigure's doorstep with a small bag in hand (a simple remedy for stomach sicknesses) and feeling very nervous about Ed's current state of mind. She had seen that his window had vanished from the house, which probably wasn't a good sign.

Without another moment's hesitation, she raised her fist and rapped on the door. It was quiet for a brief second, but then the pattering of feet signaled that she had been heard. The door slid open, and a pair of soft violet eyes peered out at her.

"Ah, Kisa, hello." The Rat greeted her. He sounded fairly somber. "If you're looking for Elric-san, he's upstairs, but he hasn't come out of his room all day."

"Has he had anything to eat?" She asked warily. It was a stupid question, but voicing her fears seemed to help her worry. He was refraining from food again, just like a few weeks before. How far away all that seemed now; it was barely even two months since Envy had attacked both her and Akito. So much was happening in such a short amount of time her mind could barely keep up with it.

"No." Yuki responded somberly. "And anything he'll eat he might throw back up again."

How difficult this must be for him; losing his brother, now the only thing he had left that resembled family, that was from his world, that truly understood his longing for home.

"I'd…I'd like to talk with him, if that's OK." Yuki nodded, and stood aside to let her in.

Her fellow Zodiac Member didn't follow as she trudged up the steps, taking time to slip out of her shoes and socks. Upon reaching the top she stared down the hallway. The door leading to the alchemist's room was missing, leaving nothing but a few rectangular marks. A transmutation remnant from earlier, she guessed.

It took her a few moments to summon her courage, but with a few encouraging thoughts, she lightly pounded her fist on the door-turned-wall.

"Onii-kun?" She called out, just loud enough for him to hear, hopefully.

There wasn't a response at first, as she figured, but then a soft grunt from the other side of the wall floated to her ears. It made her wonder how thick this wall was.

"Yes…?" He groaned. His tone was flat, dead and rough, like something you would hear at a grave, where a lover knelt down beside the resting of his or her significant other.

"Can I…come in, please?" She asked.

Again, no response. This wasn't surprising, either. With a soft sigh, Kisa unfurled her fisted hand, letting her fingers trail along the wood. They caught on the transmutation marks occasionally. Her forehead met the cool surface of the wood and she stared down at her sliding digits, breathing through her nose to stay calm.

A muffled, ringing clap reverberated through the wall, and the material began to change. Startled, The Zodiac Tiger jumped back a little. Blue lighting crackled around a shape of a large rectangle, and then with a puff of dust, the door reappeared.

Holding back a shaky sigh of relief, Kisa gently prodded the door open. The first thing that met her eyes was the dim glow of dusk outside. He had returned his window into existence as well, it seemed. The rising half-moon outside contributed to this lighting.

His now considerably taller figure suddenly looked as small as he used to be, especially when he was curled up in a tight ball like that. Shutting the door behind her, The Tiger stepped forward, softly clearing her throat to announce her presence.

Ed shifted, and his head lifted up to peer over his shoulder. The alchemist had changed into one of his favored tank tops and lounge pants. She was taken aback by the look in his eyes; an ocean of pain that seemed to dwarf the one he was in not three weeks ago. His hair was undone again, letting the soft blonde strands tangle themselves together.

That pain…it went deeper, far deeper, than just grief and loss for his deceased father.

Still, when the liquid pools of gold and topaz fell on her, they seemed to brighten a little, and at the same time, darken even further. He sat up fully, and a small smile came into existence.

It looked so painful that it hurt just to look at it.

She could see the agony behind it, and why he was still smiling for her despite his grief. He was so selfless; the same selflessness that strived him to give himself up for Akito, for her, for his brother.

"Hey." He greeted gently, and a little coldly, too, like he was trying to be polite and distance himself for whatever bizarre reason. The Zodiac Member bowed slightly out of habit, and in turn, smiled for him as well.

"Haru-nii…he said that you weren't feeling well, so I brought you something for your stomach." She reached into the bag and pulled out a chilled, wet can of flavored carbonated water. "It's Coke, and it'll help balance the acid levels."

"You bring me the strangest things, you know that?" Ed chuckled, but his tone wasn't into it. It felt like what he was saying was cruel irony; a dark, twisted joke only he could understand.

A small hiss rang through the air as Ed popped it open and chugged down the soda. Kisa waited patiently until he set the half-empty can on his nightstand before speaking.

"Onii-kun, I…I don't feel like I should say 'I'm sorry for your loss'…because, well…you might be sick of hearing that." She timidly told him, and his face immediately was completely devoid of all emotion.

"You know, what really sucks about all this crap is…well…I did some thinking after…"He paused, and Kisa could hear him swallow, painfully. "The truth is…all this time I blamed Dad for not being there for me, even after he came back. He tried many, many times to reconcile with me after I met him here."

"I…don't think that the distance between us…was entirely his fault…in truth, I think I might be partially to blame." His voice grew rougher by the second.

"I was…pushing him away from me this whole time…and just like, he was never a father to me, I was…well…never really a son to him…"

"Onii-kun," Kisa laid a hand on his shoulder, but he shook her off, flopped back down on his mattress, and rolled over. Why was he so distant all of a sudden?

Well, it was hardly surprising that he would want to shut everyone out, since sometimes, people needed to grieve alone. Kisa knew that particularly well. But that was why she had to be there for him when he stopped withdrawing from everyone and desperately craved a shoulder to lean on.

"Someone…someone once told me that it's hard…and scary to live when times are difficult, but you have to keep living for the people who care about you, for your parents…and…the people who love you…" She stared down at her feet, trying to voice her next thoughts without hurting him further.

"I know how you're feeling Onii-kun, because my mom and dad are gone, too. But…the reason I chose to keep going…was because someone pulled me back up when I had fallen…and helped me walk again. That person is very, very dear to me, and to see him suffer what I suffered is so hard for me. And that's why…I'll help you get through this, and I'll help you get home, no matter what it takes."

No response, but that was alright with her. She wasn't really expecting anything else from him at the moment. He just needed time to let himself handle it in his own way, and then she'd be waiting for him when he opened back up again. When that time came, she would have to tread carefully.

"Anyways…" She breathed, turning on her heels slowly, and preparing to leave him alone to his grief. "If you need anything else from me, you can let me know."

Her feet had not carried her three inches before something grabbed her arm. Kisa let out a silent gasp as the warm flesh wove its way around her shoulders, and another one made of cold, lifeless metal was placed across her waist.

The summer-and-winter arms pulled her backwards, and she collided with a rock-hard chest, well-defined and hitching slightly. Ed's breath was suddenly right next to her ear.

**POOF!**

The colorful dust cleared after another moment, and Kisa remained paralyzed as her clothing fell off her now considerably smaller, tiger cub body. The alchemist held on to her tightly, and water droplets began to soak into her tawny fur.

"J-just stay…" His voice, his tone, his breathing was so painful to her now-keen hearing. "Stay…until I fall asleep…"

Wiggling slightly, Kisa turned herself around in his grip, and the alchemist curled her into his chest, just like the day he had met her.

"OK…" She whispered. "I'll stay for as long as you need me."

Probably more exhausted and lost than she had ever seen him before, Ed let himself fall onto his pillow. The Zodiac Member felt his grip loosen a little and she took the opportunity to nuzzle her face into his neck. His almost-silent snores immediately followed. She sighed through her nose, and stopped breathing.

"_Wait…"_ Ed hadn't noticed her tensing, most likely because he was asleep. With unsure thoughts, Kisa breathed in again, and her eyes flew wide with shock.

"_This scent…"_

* * *

_"Mom…Mom, I'm home!!" Kisa shook her hair as she walked into the house, giggling a little as she heard Hiro's complaints about the snowstorm outside. Her kind, ever protective mother peered down the hallway at the two grade school students as they stripped themselves of their thick winter coats._

_"Welcome home Kisa, and it's nice to see you Hiro-kun!" Kisa happily laughed as her mother swooped down and kissed her forehead affectionately. "How was school?"_

_"It was fun!" Kisa told her. "Hiro and I made a snowman!"_

_"Oh, I wish I could've seen it." She cooed gently, and turned to pat Hiro on the head. "Why don't you stay for a while? I made your favorite cookies!"_

_"Really?" A huge smiled broke out on Hiro's face, prompting another laugh from Kisa._

_"Yes, and they're fresh from the oven, too!"_

_Kisa could pick up the strong scent of her mother's specialty as they made their way to the kitchen. A huge plate of brown bakery treats lay waiting for them on the counter. The two Zodiac Members eagerly scooped up their share. Hiro gobbled his down quickly, while Kisa paused, savoring the familiar flavor._

_Cinnamon burst against her taste buds powerfully, and a crisp apple followed. Even though it was the dead of winter, Kisa always loved the fall flavor that these cookies emitted._

* * *

Almost at least once a week, her mother would bake her (and occasionally the other Zodiac Members who came to call) those cookies, pouring meticulous effort into capturing the vivid seasonal taste she loved.

She hadn't smelled that delicate balance of apple and cinnamon since the day she bade goodbye to her mother and father while walking out the door to head to school, and never saw them again.

Kisa thought she'd never find that aroma again.

_"Then…why…?"_ She blanched in shock as the alchemist embracing her tightly in sleep mumbled a little.

Why did this lost, lonely alchemist, who came from a world, upbringing, and life completely different than hers, have the very same scent of autumn, cider, and spices as a very important part of her childhood did?

* * *

**The next day…**

"He had a son?"

"Since when?"

"Why didn't Hohemheim-san ever mention him?"

"What about his wife?"

"Maybe he's adopted."

"Then why do they look so alike?"

"Everyone's got a look alike somewhere."

Voices drifted around Kyo, but he only paid head to the few questioning why Hohemheim had never announced that he had a child. It was a little unnerving to think about people probing into Ed's origins.

Sighing through gritted teeth, The Zodiac Cat once again spared a glance over to the alchemist, kneeing over his father's body and ignoring everyone who came up to him and offered their consolations. He was hunched over, eyes glazed over and looking absolutely pitiful.

The funeral was simple, private, but more people than Kyo had thought previous had shown up, with few he could recognize. There were definitely quite a few employees from Hohemheim's prosthetic company, some bearing mechanical arms and legs themselves, and the heads of important corporations. But the most shocking people who came by, albeit a very brief visit, was the Prime Minister of Japan and the President of America, James Johnson.

After all the fuss about the heads of both countries coming by quieted down, it was nearly time for the cremation. Ed still didn't budge from his spot.

"Kyo-kun?" A small, exhaustion-laden voice piped up behind him while he bit into the corner of an Onigiri. The Cat turned to see Tohru standing behind him, Yuki and Haru in tow.

"Hey, you OK?" He asked. Stupid question, but he felt the need to voice his worries, anything than keeping them held in.

"I guess." She shrugged. "We're going to be leaving soon, and Hatori-san's offered to drive us home."

"They're putting up something of a monument in the graveyard downtown, so other people can come by to pay their respects." Haru added. "But Ed-kun's keeping his ashes at your house. We'll have to build a little shrine for him when we get the chance."

"We've already got the materials, but I don't think Ed wants to come home later." Everyone looked to their side to see Hiro walked up to them, dressed in black attire, like the rest of them.

"Hiro?" Kyo asked.

"I didn't actually think you'd come." Yuki commented. Hiro looked away, a strange expression of guilt crossing his face.

"Yeah, but I've been such a jerk to Ed ever since I met him, so this is probably the best I can do to make up for that."

Kyo glanced over to Ed, for the umpteenth time, but only to see Kisa sitting next to him, rubbing his back in assurance. The alchemist moved his head to look at her, and some of the pain lessened.

"Y'know, awhile ago, that really would've bothered me." Hiro muttered. Tohru leaned in to hear what he was saying.

"You know how much he loves her, right?" Haru told him, and Hiro nodded, but not in defeat.

"I know, and I'm not really that…well…jealous anymore." He sighed. "Because I can see that…in everything he does, it's to make her happy, something that I would do as well."

"What do you mean by that?" Yuki pressed.

"If Kisa were to…choose him, then I'd be OK with it. And I know for a fact, that if she prefers me, then Ed would be OK with it as well." Hiro explained, his tone tinged with melancholy. "That's the kind of person I think he is; he strives to ensure the wellbeing of the people he loves, I mean, look what he did for his brother?"

"You've…grown up, quite a bit, you know that?" Kyo ruffled his hair, something that would've prompted Hiro to lash back at him with barbed words before, but now he simply shrugged.

"Well, no matter how much I want to, I can't be a kid forever."

* * *

**Cemetery, 5:30 P.M…**

Time was flying by too fast; it was as simple as that. He wanted to rewind it so he could make sense of everything

In a few short hours, Ed's father was a pile of ashes, scooped into an urn, and the crowd dissipated, including all the Sohma's and Tohru, who had gone to Shigure's house to place Hohemheim in the small shrine built for him. Ed didn't go home, instead asking to just go visit the monument in the graveyard that had practically sprung up over night.

Quite a few people who didn't attend the funeral came by to pay their respects; and Ed just hung back and waited for them all to disappear.

His father's memorial didn't look any different from a regular grave, which made Ed chuckle inwardly. His father definitely made sure that any monument left to him wasn't extravagant. As soon as the last of the mourners vanished, the alchemist walked up to the tombstone and plopped down in front of it, curling his arms tightly around his knees and picking out patterns in the flowers left behind.

Ed sort of noticed when the partially clouded day turned to sunset, staining everything with gold and orange. He kept his face emotionless, but it was no easy feat. Despite his blank look, thousands of feelings were running through him. Some he could name simply by calling the words to his mind, others were a mix of many that he had no names for.

Sighing, he shifted his body slightly to a more comfortable position, and drew his knees closer to his body. It hurt, sitting like that, but he couldn't find the willpower to stand up. Spring air swept across the bare skin of his flesh arm, raising goose-bumps and making him shiver. He wished he'd brought a jacket or something warm to wrap himself up in.

Once again, he was reminded of the small piece of paper tucked away in a pocket. He held onto that stupid transmutation circle like a lifeline, but it still hurt him to know it existed, and it relieved him, too.

What was the point of going but if he had no solid proof that Al was alive? There was nothing else waiting for him.

Heavy footsteps roused him from his painful thoughts. From what he could gather without looking, the stranger was wearing boots, scraping against the rocks that littered the ground. He didn't bother looking up, hoping that the person had come to visit a different grave.

He was proven wrong when the footsteps stopped just a meter away from him. Silence stretched between him and the stranger. Ed still didn't glance over, and wished he'd just leave. Once again, the stranger didn't comply with his unspoken thoughts, and talked to him in a gruff voice.

"Well, don't you look like the most unfortunate person in the world?" He commented. Ed flinched slightly at the words, but overall it didn't have much effect on him. He just felt pretty much numb right now. Nonetheless, he spared a curious look over to the man.

The first word that popped into Ed's mind to describe the man was "military". He looked to be around either his late 40's or early 50's, with deep brown hair that was long enough to be called a mullet. The hair framed his rough face, and the brown stubble on his chin. He wore thick boots, explaining the heavy footfalls, a thick, dark blue sweater and green camouflage pants. His green eyes were staring down at Ed with clear sympathy, despite his words. In his arms, he carried a small bundle of white flowers, but Ed didn't know its breed. The alchemist watched him for another moment and then decided to say something.

"Need something?" He asked, not really sure of what else he should say. The man shrugged and sat down beside the blonde youth, dropping the bouquet in front of the grave with the hundreds of other flowers lying before the tombstone. After getting settled, he rummaged around in one of his many pockets for something.

"Don't mind me." He sighed. "I'm just paying my respects to the man who saved my life." Ed saw him pull out a white stick and a lighter, to which he immediately knew what it was.

Cigarette smoke normally didn't bother him, he'd gotten used to smelling it around or coming from 2nd Lt. Havoc. Shigure smoked too, on occasion. It wasn't as strong around Pinako, but also basically the same thing. But that didn't mean Ed approved of the action. He snorted slightly.

"Those things will kill you." He scolded the older man. He paused as he slid the nicotine-laden stick into his mouth, staring at him incredulously, and then started chuckling. Ed wondered what was so funny.

"You're not the first person to have told me that, kid." He sighed. "I guess the entire world's against me…in ways more than one." He added, a dark expression crossing his face. A click sounded through the air as he lit the end of his cigarette. Ed felt grateful that he'd chosen to sit downwind from him.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked. After taking a long drag, the older man turned to him.

"I used to be a part of the military in America. A Special Forces Unit, to be precise. It got me into a lot of scrapes." The stranger smiled a little. "I was on a mission in South Africa when I met your dad, almost 7 years ago."

"How'd you know he's my dad?" Ed asked, though not at all surprised he guessed right.

"Why else would you be sitting in front of this grave when everyone else is gone? No offense, kid." Ed shrugged.

"None taken." The alchemist looked over the older man carefully, noting the fact that he wasn't wearing a prosthetic, and wondered how he was affiliated with his father. His question was answered a moment later.

"When I met Hohemheim, I was a pretty inexperienced soldier, just a rookie." He paused and took the white stick out of his mouth. "Your dad was a tough guy. He risked his life out there in that war-torn wasteland.

"What were you doing in South Africa?" Ed pressed.

"I can't tell you." He said matter-of-factly. "It's classified info. But what I can tell you is that I was on the run from a group of militia who mistook me for their enemy while trying to sneak to my destination. I was hiding in this house when one of their bombs went off. All I remember was the sound of explosions going off, and then nothing."

"When I came to, your father was standing over me, patching me up. From what he said, the building I was in caught fire, and he pulled me out of the wreckage. We were in a sort of bunkhouse for war refugees. With him was a small family. Their daughter had lost her leg when one of the militiamen pulled a suicide bombing. Poor girl was pretty messed up after that."

"I had to stick around there for a while, since the anesthetic he had given me kept me from walking too far without assistance. The whole time, I sat nearby and watched him help that little girl. When she was up and walking again, the rest of her family was crying." He finished with a sigh and took another drag from the cigarette.

Ed was quiet, imagining his brave father out on the ravaged battlefield of civil-war laden Africa, pulling this old soldier out from the rubble of a burning building, taking him to a place where he could be healed, and giving the ability to walk to a helpless girl.

"I can see that you're pretty fortunate to have such a brilliant person for a father. Though, it still must've been tough to lose an arm, kid." The older man's voice cut through Ed's thoughts. The alchemist glanced at his fake hand, flexing it absentmindedly. He shrugged again.

"My left leg's gone, too." Ed mumbled, wrapping his arms around his knees again. "I lost them in an accident when I was 10." Silence stretched between them again. The stranger finished his cigarette and pulled out what looked like a small, cylinder tube. He slid the top open, dropped the burnt out white stick inside, and shut it with a click. He noticed the fact that the blonde youth was watching, and smiled.

"I don't like littering." He said simply. The man turned his gaze to the sky. "You're father was a good man. Most scientists in this era right now are being taken advantage of: they're forced to design weapons, bioengineered diseases, ect. My good friend's an example. He just wanted to follow his dream, and ended up helping out in the creation of a nuclear weapon."

"Ouch." Ed winced, not sure what else to say.

"Hohemheim was different. He worked on his own instead of letting someone manipulate him, and now he's saved millions of lives by giving them a future." His green eyes unfocused themselves, like they were gazing into the past, but what past, Ed did not know.

"I'm jealous of your dad." He said sadly. "I'm…a solider; and all I can do is kill other people. He, however, saves lives, whilst I can only destroy. That is the fate of someone like me."

"It isn't," Ed protested. "Dad…he's had his share of…well…never mind…" The blonde-haired teen didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea about Hohemheim, and was regretting opening his mouth in the first place.

The old soldier didn't press any further, in which Ed was grateful for. Once again, the air was quiet. Both sat there, lost in their own thoughts, though the alchemist couldn't guess what the other man was thinking. It was too damn hard to read his face. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when more footsteps approached the two. This time, Ed recognized them.

They were light and slow, but Ed could hear the urgency in them. He shouldn't have stayed out here too long if all it was going to do was worry Tohru.

"Ed-san!" She called in a concerned tone. Her footstep pattern picked up. Ed glanced over, as did the soldier. Tohru was still in her funeral attire. Upon spotting the older man sitting nearby, she stopped short.

"I-I'm sorry." She said, slightly breathless. "Am I interrupting something?" Ed shook his head.

"No. We're just talking." Ed struggled to his feet, wincing as his muscles flexed out of their stiff positions. He stretched his arms, groaning as they reached their limit of reach. The older man got up, too.

Tohru stared at this older man, the strangest sensation of Déjà vu sweeping over her. This man, he looked familiar, but where…

_**'Dr. Huey Emmerich, Hohemheim, and John Doe.'**_

_**'…John Doe...'**_

He was practically a mirror of the man she had seen in the old photograph, but…where was the eye patch? Maybe a relation?

Her thoughts were broken when the soldier smiled down at Ed.

"I best get going." He told him, holding out a rough-looking hand, which made Ed wonder how many battles this former soldier had seen. "Nice talking with you…whoever you are."

"My name's Ed." The alchemist replied, grasping the calloused, war-weary hand. "This is Tohru." Said person bowed in greeting.

"It's nice to meet you." She added politely.

"I go by a few names, but you can just call me David." His head turned to his side, and a strange noise, almost like rapid fluttering, reached their ears. A moment later, a helicopter flew over the graveyard, closer to the ground than one would normally be.

"That's my ride." He stated, and chuckled under his breath. "Hal has such uncanny timing."

"Who now?" Tohru pressed, and the old soldier shook his head.

"Never mind." He turned, waving and started down the row of graves. "Take care!"

"Um…bye!" Tohru called back, and then looked at Ed, who had a strange expression on his face. "Who was that?"

"Just some old soldier who Dad helped out." He explained, and patted the orphan on the shoulder. "How's…everything at home?" He said the word home like it was a kind of taboo, but for what reason, Tohru couldn't figure it out.

"It's quiet. Uo-chan and Hana-chan dropped by, too." She informed him. "Everyone's waiting for you to come home."

"We'd better get going, then." Ed took her hand, glancing back at the stone slab that marked his father's memory. Tohru examined it, curiously studying the many bouquets of flowers laid before it, but only one bundle caught her eye.

"What kind of flowers are these?" She asked, gesturing to the white ones. She carefully plucked one from the bundle and held it up to her nose. It smelled pleasant enough.

"Dunno', that David guy brought them."

She ran her fingers along the delicate, soft, white petals, entranced by its simplicity. It was probably rude of her to want to take one, but these flowers…Tohru felt like there was a very special meaning to them.

"Do you…think Hohemheim-san would mind if I-"

"I don't think so." Ed finished. "I've never seen these flowers before, though." He picked another out the wrapping and handed it to her.

"They're really pretty." She murmured, and stood back up.

The two started down the well-trodden ground, Tohru cradling the precious plants to her chest. Maybe she could plant some of the seeds in Yuki's garden, if she asked.

"You know, it's funny." She whispered. "When I look at these flowers, I feel happy, but at the same time, I feel sad."

"Why's that?" Ed asked curiously.

"I don't know. It's like…there's a happiness and a sadness living inside it." She gazed down at it, stroking the delicate leaves. Both feelings swirled around inside her, as if they were alive, dancing together like petals floating in the wind.

"It's joy…and sorrow."

* * *

_XXXXXXXXXXX_

_Here's to you, Joy and Sorrow,_

_Rest forever here in our hearts._

_The last and final moment is yours,_

_That agony is your triumph._

_XXXXXXXXXXX_

* * *

**The next day…**

The morning was gray, paralleling Ed's mood. Sure, his mind was a lot less messy now that he'd gotten over the shock, but still, the feeling of impending loss remained.

He picked at the food Tohru had lain out for him, thankful for the silence. Everyone was gone today (school, work), but Ed didn't want to go anywhere for. His joints ached painfully due to the coming rain. His appetite had been playing hide and seek with him for a while now.

He numbly flipped through the alchemy book again, taking the time to run his gaze over the various equations, the markings, the journal entries, and the occasional little bouts of the author missing his friends and family.

Only once…one transmutation and he could never come back.

Keeping this secret from the others felt terrible, like he was betraying the trust that they had given to him without a word. He struggled constantly with the gnawing need to tell someone, anyone, of what his father had told him, just to see one less face of sadness when he left.

Just the thought of leaving and staying made his chest feel like splitting in half, making him moan out loud.

He was disturbed from his painful when a knock rang through the house, which confused him immensely. Who would be visiting? Especially since the storm just broke?

Though it felt like he had neither the willpower nor energy to get up, Ed rose to his feet and trudged to the doorway. When he pulled it open, he found the very last person he had expected to visit him.

"Akito?" He said in surprise. The Zodiac head was soaked through with the drizzle outside, not yet the downpour Ed had imagined. She fidgeted nervous, as though unsure whether or not to be here, and let out a squeal as Ed pulled her inside.

"Idiot." He scolded her, brushing water droplets out of her hair. She shivered from the crisp air. "You should have at least worn a coat. You'll catch a cold." Akito looked down self-consciously.

"Sorry…" She mumbled. "I…I was just taking a walk when it started raining, and I needed someplace to stay dry." Ed gave her a sympathetic look.

"Do you want something to eat?" He asked. The Sohma family leader shook her head.

"No, but something warm to drink would be nice." She mumbled, as though embarrassed by something. Ed felt a tug at the corners of his mouth, but that was all.

"I can make some tea." Geez, how much had he had since arriving here? It seemed to be a regular part of his diet right now; a small piece of the vast expanse of life he had built up here.

How painful would it be to just abandon it and let it fall apart?

Akito stood by Ed as he rummaged around in the cabinet for the tea leaves. He made a mental note to pick up some dried noodles later on in the day. Maybe going out wasn't such a bad idea, after all.

The Zodiac 'god' was silent for a minute, and the alchemist felt a strange tension building up, and that undeniable urge to tell Akito that he could go home.

Was it easier to deal with the faces of sadness and loss individually?

"Hey…Akito?" He mumbled, switching off the stove light. "Can you…keep a secret?"

"What do you mean, Otou-san?" She asked, that same childish curiosity appearing in her eyes again. "I can, but…is something wrong?"

"Yes…and no." He filled the two cups, and handed one to Akito, blowing on his to cool it. "I want to show you something."

The small, child-like woman followed him into the living room, eyeing the alchemy book Ed had laid on the table with wonder.

"What's this?" She asked, plopping down and picking up the book. Ed took a very deep breath, preparing for anything.

"This…is an alchemy book Kisa gave me a while back." He watched as she flipped it open to a random page. "It was written by another alchemist almost seven hundred years ago. He…came from my world."

"Really?" Her wide eyes never left him as he tugged the book from her grip.

"Dad decoded it for me…and…I…" He swallowed.

"I can…go home now…and I can never come back…"

Silence stretched between them, and the whole time, Ed never let his gaze met Akito's. He didn't want to see the pain.

"So, when will you leave?" She asked him; absolutely no traces of pain could be found in her voice. Ed looked up in surprise, his eyes flying wide with shock.

"What…you…?"

"Otou-san," She told him, laying a hand on his shoulder. "If you have the chance to go home, you should really take it." Ed groaned, rubbing his forehead.

"That's the thing…I want to go home…and I don't want to go home…" His eyes, for what felt like the millionth time this week, stung.

"I…I have no solid proof that Al's alive, and…what would be the point of going back if he's not there?" He admitted. "I…I just don't know what to do anymore." He laid his head down on the table, crossing his arms and using them as a pillow.

Akito said nothing, and he was grateful for that; he was so grateful for everything she had done for him. She was clearly thinking over her next words. After sipping some tea, she spoke.

"I guess, in a way, we all knew that this day was coming." She told him. "We knew that you'd leave one day. But…leaving behind…and being left behind…both are so hard."

"To leave behind…or be left behind…I…I think I understand what Tohru was talking about that day; they're both just so hard."

"Otou-san?" Akito whispered, leaning down so she could face him. "If...you leave…will you at least let me know? So I can say goodbye? Because…I think that the hardest part of leaving someone, or someone leaving you, if the fact that you never got the chance to say goodbye, so…"

"I will…" He firmly agreed. "Just don't…tell anyone else, yet. I'm not ready for them to know."

He'd probably never be ready, but it was so much easier now that he'd told someone he could leave.

Akito leaned into his shoulder, chin resting on her arms. Ed let her stay that way.

He wasn't sure if he had fallen asleep or not, like that (God, just having her nearby was so comforting; it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of him), appreciating the warmth they shared, her presence, the acceptance she offered him.

Soon, in what felt like forever and no time at all, the door out in the hallway opened, and Ed could hear voices.

"…damn, why'd it have to rain today?"

"Glad I brought an umbrella."

Footsteps walked into the room, and stopped short. Ed glanced over his shoulder to see Tohru, Yuki, and Shigure at the frame of the entrance. Tohru and The Dog smiled, while Yuki blanched. It was rather amusing to see.

"Well, here's something you don't see every day." Shigure commented. Ed pulled away from the sleeping Zodiac Member. Akito shifted a little, but that was all.

"He just stopped by for a bit." He explained, rubbing his eyes and the creases in his face from where it was pushed into his shirt. His limbs felt stiff, but that was hardly surprising. Ed rolled himself to his feet as Shigure picked a blanket up from a nearby closet and wrapped it around Akito's shoulders.

The tenderness in his eyes as he did that, reminded him of the way he once caught Al wrapping him up in a blanket as he slept, exhausted from tree all-nighters.

It hurt…

"Tohru, we're out of noodles, so I'm gonna' go pick some up." He told her, needing escape, something, anything. When she nodded, Ed brushed passed her and Yuki, scooped up a waterproof jacket and headed out the door.

Just in time.

The rain fell on Ed's face as he looked up to the sky. The raindrops pelted his bare skin as he walked briskly down the steps and to the street, appearing out of nowhere in the swirling mass of precipitation and water vapor.

It felt so refreshing on his face, cleansing the tainted salt water that leaked from his eyes. He hadn't meant to cry, but it was just hard to hold it in back there.

He loved the rain; it hid him from the rest of the world.

* * *

"Let's see…" Ed muttered to himself, scanning the isles of the store. The foods stuck out at home like a fireworks display of colors, which strained his already-pained eyes a little. "Here we are."

Ed tossed the bag of rice in his grocery basket casually, and then leaned down to pick up a bowl of ramen. He felt a little better after walking in the rain, letting the fresh, icy water soak his hair and skin. Come to think of it, he was pretty hungry right now, and some sushi didn't sound too bad.

Finishing getting his items of choice, Ed turned and began to walk down the two rows of both healthy food and junk food. As he swung around the corner, something, running down the ends of the isles at considerable speed, collided with him.

He left out a small 'oomph!' but wasn't pushed back too much. The latter, however, fell flat on the ground, scattering packets of ramen and wrapped slaps of pork.

"Whoa." Ed commented, reaching downward. "You OK?"

The person he had collided with, a slender, petite girl with short brown hair, stared up at him with large brown eyes, probably from the shock of falling.

"Yeah, sorry." She muttered, brushing herself off as Ed lifted her off the floor. "Just wasn't looking where I was going."

After regaining her balance, the girl reached down and started to pick up the items she had dropped.

"Here, let me help." Ed offered. His hand rested on a plastic container, picked it up and read the label. "Instant coffee? Seriously?"

"I don't drink it." She told him. "It's my friends who are absolutely infatuated with it."

"Who would be enamored by something as simple as this?" Ed placed the coffee in her basket, and the girl stood up.

"Rich bastards." She sighed. "Thanks for your help, and I'm sorry about running into you."

"Happens to me a lot." Ed mumbled, walking to the checkouts, which seemed to be where the girl was going.

"My name's Haruhi, by the way." She stated, holding out her hand. Ed shook it.

"Edward Elric." He replied. "Nice to meet you."

It was quiet for the most part as Ed checked his items out at the self-checkout, but, of course, she had to notice something odd about him.

"Hey, are you OK?" She asked, leaning over to peer at his face. "You looked like you're strained, or something?"

Everyone always had to see something weird about him, but it wasn't surprising that he looked…off.

"Not really." He mumbled, which was true. "My…dad died three days ago. I'd rather not talk about it."

"Oh." It was a subdued 'oh', as though she was guilty about asking. But nonetheless, Ed was grateful for the concern, despite the fact that he was a complete stranger.

Ed scooped up the bags, waved goodbye over his shoulder, and walked out into the now easing rain. He hoped the groceries wouldn't get wet. Haruhi finished paying the moment he stepped out, since she didn't have much.

Strangely enough, just as he started down the street, a long, very fancy black limo streaked with rain screeched to a stop just outside the store. Ed didn't bothering looking back as then\ car door opened and then shut, and feet splashed up fountains of water as they ran to the door, but what piqued up his curiosity mildly was a wailing voice.

"HARUHI!! Daddy was so worried!"

Odd, that voice sounded similar to his.

* * *

**Three days later…**

The library doors shut tightly behind Ed as he walked down the steps into the courtyard. He wasn't sure of why he was still visiting this place, since his research was finished, but it still felt nice to read a book. He wasn't sure why, but lately, he'd had a strange attraction to fiction books, particularly since his father sent him a book called "The Catcher in the Rye" two days before he died. It was pretty good, Ed admitted to himself.

Like the time Kisa's parents had died, it took at least a whole week before the painful, oppressing silence of Hohemheim's death lifted somewhat. Ed was still fairly depressed, both over his torn sides and grief, but it was now easier to keep his poker face straight. Still, they were there for him, not apologizing for his loss, but rather, just using their presence to assure him.

He really had to stop getting closer to them, but it was so hard to distance himself from them.

The alchemist sighed painfully, and started a little when a voice, a voice that would always lighten his day, no matter how bad it was, called out to him.

"Onii-kun?" He glanced up, and immediately his eyes fell onto her figure, casually leaning against a stone wall. She was still in her school uniform, not surprisingly, since it wasn't that late into the afternoon, but it was late enough to give everything a golden tint, including her soft, tawny hair and milk chocolate eyes.

"Hey." He said casually, smiling. Her face fell ever so slightly, and he knew that she could always see through his lies. She pushed herself off the wall and trotted over to his side. Damn it, did she know how cute she could look while doing that? An innocent, curious look on her face, like a small kitten, hands locked behind her back, a slight sway in her arms.

"I guessed I would you here." She told him, and then glanced down to the ground. "If you…don't have anything to do right now, would you mind if I…took you somewhere? Somewhere special?"

Ed cocked an eyebrow out of curiosity, but inwardly, he felt his insides flame.

_"Calm down,"_ He scolded himself, keeping his face straight. _"It's not a…date…she just wants to go somewhere with me."_

He shrugged. "I guess so."

Kisa smiled eagerly, grabbed hold of his hand and dragged him down the street.

"We'll have to catch a bus, but it shouldn't take us long to get there."

Ed didn't question her motives as she pulled him through a park and down a stony path to the nearest bus stop, but she paused as a sound drifted to their ears.

"What's that?" Ed asked. They stared across an open field in the park to a bench nearby. A high school student with dark hair, tinted a shade of blue, drew a bowstring across a very expensive looking violin.

"It's pretty." Kisa sighed. "Onii-kun, did you know that Momiji-chan plays the violin?"

"No, I didn't." He stated.

"He's really good at it, too. You should ask him to play for you sometime."

"Maybe…" Ed shrugged, and let Kisa continue to pull him along. Strangely, the violin stopped playing when rapid footsteps raced to the source.

"Ikuto-kun!!" A female voice whined. "Why did you run off? You promised to take me to dinner!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Utau."

* * *

**30 minutes later…**

Ed stared at the vast expanse of water, mouth slightly agape in awe. Kisa, who had hurried on slightly ahead of him, laughed at his expression.

The ocean before him was a stark mix of blues and oranges, the crashing waves blending the colors even more. Sand was pulled to and fro with each movement of the salty water. The setting sun stained the clouds pink, red, orange, and everything between. Seagulls, crying for whatever reason, flew above him.

"Wow…" He breathed. His could've just stared forever had Kisa not grabbed his prosthetic arm and pulled him across the line where grass turned into the tiny, tiny rocks.

"Come on I have something cool to show you!" She giggled over the pounding waves. Ed couldn't help but smile as she slipped out of her shoes and socks, and gestured Ed to follow her example.

After leaving their shoes where they could find them again and rolling up the pant legs of his jeans, Ed followed Kisa as she trotted down the long beach, humming to herself. The alchemist let the cool sand seep between his toes, soothe them, massage them; a natural remedy for sore feet. He watched the cursed Zodiac Member casually stride near the waters like this was something she did every day.

The ocean danced around her bare feet, wetting them, pulling away and taking little rolling pebbles with it and making the dryer sand coat her feet lightly. They left little footprints that vanished with each break of the waves.

Her sweet, adoring gaze was fixed on the horizon beside her, illuminated by the vanishing sun, the reflection of the clouds. Brown, soft eyes studied a wave as it rose, crested, and then fell away with a crash into the metallic water. A gentle smile was just starting to tug at the corner of her lips.

Man, he could just watch her walk like that for hours and never get tired of it.

Before long, they reached a rather rocky area, but Kisa showed no hesitation in hurrying over the jagged sandstone. She leaped from rock to boulder to rock deftly with the ease of long practice; a skilled tiger prowling through the jungle.

It was somewhat easy for him to keep up, since his fake leg took no damage or even feel bothered by the ragged surface of the rocks. Kisa seemed more at ease with this, and soon, she hurried ahead of him to a rocky, flat expanse of rock undisturbed by the ocean.

"Look over here!" Kisa called out to him, waving from where she stood next to a circular pool of water, reflecting the sunset sky above her. As soon as he reached her side, she pointed down into the tide pool.

Ed watched as sea life waved back and forth at its own lazy pace under the glass surface of the water. Colors of every shade met his eyes, enticing him to study their every line, every detail of each anemone, starfish, budding flower of whatever genus and family they belonged to. Wow, this was even better than the aquarium.

The blonde alchemist knelt down, reaching into the water with his metal hand and breaking the fragile mirror, sending little ripples out from his forearm. Very, very carefully, he slid his hand underneath a bright purple, spiky ball, sending up little clouds of sand and dirt as he disturbed the floor. He withdrew, balancing the sea urchin in his palm.

"Careful," Kisa warned him. As he lifted one unfeeling finger to stroke the thin spikes. "They're fragile."

"Sometimes, having a prosthetic arm can come in handy." He stated, placing the little sea creature back in the pool.

"This is one of my favorite tide pools." She told him, standing up. "There are a lot of hermit crabs, too."

As if on cue, one of the tiny little crustaceans scuttled by Ed's metal foot, wearing a very pretty, bright yellow shell.

"See?" She giggled. Ed picked up the creature by the back of its home, placing it in his flesh hand. It's little crab legs pressed into his skin, but didn't hurt him. Kisa lightly pet the creature.

Man, she could get so happy over the littlest of things.

"There's something else I want to show you, Onii-kun." She interrupted his staring at her sweet, joyful little smile. Ed put the hermit crab down and got to his feet.

This time, Kisa led him away from the ocean, up through the rocks, and back onto the grassy hills. Ed felt some relief when the rough surface gave way to soft plant life. She led him up a hill that gave way to a cliff, a single tree resting atop it.

Strange, trees don't normally have pink leaves.

But, then again, it was time for cherry blossoms to be in bloom.

Kisa plopped down at the base of the tree when they reached the top, staring out into the serene sunset. It was sinking slowly down in the ocean, bleeding hues of red, orange, pink, yellow out into the water. Waves crashed against the rocks at the unseen base of the cliff, trying in vain to win the fight against land, but still wearing away at it with each splash. A warm breeze caressed the alchemists face.

"It's beautiful." He breathed, sitting down next to the Zodiac Member, who took hold of his flesh hand. Pink petals littered the ground around them, some whole flowers, some half complete.

"You know, this is a very special place for me, kind of like a secret spot." Kisa told him. Ed looked at her, entranced by the way the ocean wind turned her hair into feathery wisps, like a soft halo.

"Really?" She nodded.

"I…come here a lot, actually." She admitted. "Whenever I'm feeling sad, or I miss my parents, I come here. I don't know why I do, but...somehow this place makes me forget about all my pains, my fears. It just…heals me."

"That's why I brought you here, Onii-kun. Because, maybe…I hope that it'll heal you, too. You should come here whenever you can. It really will help you."

Ed didn't respond, even if he could.

She was always thinking of him, wasn't she? Putting his needs first, offering something that he needed, holding something he desperately craved. It was no wonder.

When he was younger, he would look up words that he couldn't identify from the alchemy texts in dictionaries, and once, he came across a term that was the oxymoron of 'dictionary': Love.

**"Love is a powerful attachment to someone, but few can successfully describe it."**

Well, a lot of things made sense, now.

With a pained, exhausted sigh, yearning for her more than he ever thought possible, Ed leaned towards her, resting his head on her shoulder. She jumped slightly at the contact.

"Hey…hate to ask, but could you…just let me rest for a minute?" She didn't respond, and Ed moved down further, plopping his skull down on her lap.

"I'm so tired…"

He wasn't tired; that was a lie. He was drained. Drained of emotion, of life, of hope, of feeling, and just so sick and tired of _everything_.

A hand, soft, petite, warm, just barely touched his bangs, caressing and stroking the long, golden tresses in a soothing manner; a kind lullaby of motion and not words.

"OK." She agreed simply. Ed whispered a thank you, fixing his eyes on the scenery before him.

A few stars, early to work at lighting the night sky, twinkled above them as the sun began to disappear. Shades of purple, of blue, and magenta replaced the previous colors. The scent of salt, balanced out with lilac and cherry blossom, drifted around the alchemist.

He wasn't sure if it was his exhaustion, or out of a desire to let go, Ed caught himself doing the one thing he'd never thought he'd do in his life:

He prayed.

_"Please...whoever you are, up there, I…I know I haven't done anything to be in a position to be asking for anything but…if you could, please…just give me some time…a little more time…to be with her."_

_"Maybe…by then…I'll know what I'll have to let go of…"_

* * *

_XXXXXXXXXXX_

_Here's to you, Nicola and Bart;_

_Rest forever here in our hearts._

_The last and final moment is yours;_

_Agony is your triumph._

_XXXXXXXXXXX_

* * *

**The nest day…**

It was rare to see Edward Elric's face contort with shock, but right now, it was appropriate, considering the circumstances.

Yuki glanced from the alchemist's gaping mouth over the lawyer who'd come to call. In truth, it wasn't that surprising, but apparently, Ed must've had too much on his mind to think about it. Tohru and Kyo mirrored his expression.

"I…I've been left Dad's entire fortune?" He stuttered. The lawyer, a balding but friendly looking man, nodded.

"Yes. Your father's will clearly stated that he left everything, his stocks, bonds, money, even his company, to you."

"So, wait." Shigure said from the other end of the table. "Basically, Ed's in charge of the top company in the prosthetic industry now?"

"Well, Edward won't be able to take over the company until he's at the legal age of 18, but he has full access to Hohemheim's fortune. The company will be taken over by the vice president until then, and Hohemheim left his house to you, if you'll take it." Ed looked down at his hands, frowning.

"I…I'm not sure about the house." He admitted. "Just let me think about this."

"Very well." The lawyer nodded, pulling a few documents out of his brief case. "These are for the bank account, so you shouldn't have trouble withdrawing money from it."

"T-thanks." Ed muttered.

The man left a few minutes later after politely declining Tohru's offer to make him lunch. While said orphan began cooking their midday meal, Shigure handed Ed a thick, orange folder.

"You're father had these made about a week before he died." He explained while Ed emptied its contents on the table. "A passport, birth certificate, he even had connections to make you a driver's license."

Ed looked over the documents, in which only the maker could discern from the real thing. Man, if he stayed, his clearly wanted to make sure Ed was secured, financially and politically.

"Wow, Dad really went all out." Ed murmured, picking up a piece of paper. "My new bank accounts conte-" His voice froze in his throat.

That was a lot of zeros.

* * *

**Three days later…**

Steam wafted from Ed's mocha as he casually stirred it with his small straw. His favorite coffee shop, after a long time of stopping by, knew right away what he wanted to drink on what day at what time.

Weird…the people on this side of The Gate really took their costumers seriously.

With a sigh, the alchemist heaved himself from his chair, dumped his now empty cup in the trash, and began to make his leave.

_"Golden Week."_ Ed mused, pausing as he walked by a brochure stand. _"If the others have a week off, then maybe…"_

Maybe he could use his newfound fortune to that advantage.

He shouldn't be getting closer to them, but maybe, before he left, he could have one last pleasant memory with them.

Ed leafed through the colorful advertisements, searching for something that could-wait a minute.

His hand paused on one particularly flashy brochure, pulling it out from the rest of the leaflets. He eyes scanned the cover, the offers, and the hotel prices. Enough to group at least twenty.

Perfect.

* * *

**Shigure Sohma's house, 12:30 A.M…**

"Well, you're back early." Shigure commented as Ed slipped out of his boots, leaning out the door of his room. The weather had grown warm enough that Ed didn't have to wear a coat anymore.

"Hey." Ed greeted. "Do we still have plans for Golden Week?"

"No, not yet." The alchemist smiled.

"Well, just asking." He walked over to where Shigure was peeking out of his office/bedroom. "Mind if I use your computer?"

"Nope, I have to go out anyways." He stood up, stretching his back, which made Ed wonder if he pulled another all-nighter. "Don't destroy my computer."

"I won't." Ed laughed, and sat down where Shigure was sitting a moment ago. The door leading outside opened for a brief moment, and then closed. Silence pounded against Ed's ears. Pulling out the brochure, cracking his knuckles, and typing in the home address, Ed got to work.

Before long, he was browsing the sites he had been looking for, making reservations, payments, securing rooms, pouring money into souvenir accounts; it was easier than he thought to set up this vacation.

Now he just had to make sure no one else had anything to do during Golden Week.

He logged out of the website an hour later, satisfied with his work, silently thanked Haru for teaching him how to use a computer, and picked up the phone. But strangely, when he prepared to dial Uo's phone number, a strange garbling noise came from the phone.

"What the hell?" He murmured to himself.

With a sudden flash, the computer turned itself off.

Ed glanced outside curious if there was some sort of thunderstorm going on, but the sky was very clear today.

Even so, it was easy to pick up strange sparks of blue lightning over the tree tops nearby.

_"Is that…a transmutation?"_ Ed dropped the phone, scrambled to his feet, and raced out the back door into the woods.

He hadn't run for two minutes towards the source before the electricity sparking around him danced faster and more vividly. Ed burst into a clearing, gasping with shock.

A transmutation circle, smack dab where the one that had transported him had been, was glowing in the sunlight, somehow brighter than the sun.

It was quite chaotic; a swirling vortex of energy engulfed the intricate circle, sending sparks and flashes in every direction. It went faster and faster, until Ed had to shield and squint his eyes in order to see it.

Finally, with a resounding boom and a brilliant flash, it stopped.

Lying there in its place was a heap of gray rock, smoking slightly.

Ed lowered his arms, warily walking towards the pile of stone. Why would someone send a few rocks through The Gate?

He knelt down next to it, feeling strangely tense. Just when he thought that this couldn't get any weirder, it did.

The rock moved.

Or rather, the heap of metal moved.

Chest tightening with nerves, shock, stupid disbelief, Ed's eyes grew larger by the second as the metal glanced up at him.

Eyes, pupil less, glowing eyes, looked at him, and gasp came from it's depths.

"Brother…?"

Ed's eyes stung painfully. That voice, masculine, grown up, and mature, but still it had its childish tone to it.

He knew that voice. He'd recognize it even if a hundred years passed.

This had to be a dream.

"Al?"

* * *

_**~Omake time!~**_

_**Movie Night**_

_**Al:**_ YES!!! YES!!!!

_**Primitiveradiogoddess: **_You're very welcome.

_**Shigure:**_ Let's celebrate!!!

_**Yuki:**_ I vote we watch a movie.

_**Uo:**_ Hell yeah! Let's watch "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"!

_**Kakeru:**_ I second that!

_**Momiji:**_ No way, we should totally watch "Lord of the Rings".

_**Kimi:**_ Kimi wants to watch "The Lakehouse"!

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Stop arguing and pick a movie!

_**Shigure:**_ Should you really be watching a movie right now when you have other things to do?

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Like what?

_**Shigure:**_ You know, that story you've been working on where Tohru-kun falls desperately in love with-

*Twack!*

_**All:**_ DON'T SPOIL IT!!!!

_**Shigure: **_Why must I be the one who gets hit?

_**David:**_ Whatever, I'm out.

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ NOOOO!!!! You must stay!!!!

_**David:**_ Let go!!

_**Ed: **_She's not gonna let go, so you might as well stay.

_**David:**_ Fine…

_**Primitiveradiogoddess:**_ Well, that's all for now folks, so while I wind down and let the brilliant gears of my mind process my next project (might actually be up after this story ends), I hope to see lots of juicy reviews, for they keep me going and destroy the dreaded writer's block! PM me if you can't recognize and of the cameos I put in. See you next time! BYE!!


	14. Far Away, So Close

_**Author's Notes:**_ *faceplants into something sharp and pointy*

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. The scenes that go in sync with the Fruits Basket manga also belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei. Everything else mentioned belongs to their rightful creators and owners. Plot belongs to me.

_**Inspiration for this chapter:**_ Take On Me by A-ha, Everything by Alanis Morissette, Congratulations by Blue October, City of Blinding Lights by U2, Bratja from the Fullmetal Alchemist soundtrack, Clint Eastwood by Gorillaz, and Kiss the Girl by Ashley Tisdale.

_**Reminders:**_ Welcome to the theater that is my mind. While in the theater, we ask you to please refrain from the following: No smoking, no believing, no noise, no killing, and absolutely NO detection. This is "The Alchemist and the Zodiac". Enjoy it with us.

XXXXXX

Chapter 14

Far Away, So Close

**Shigure Sohma's house, 1:30 P.M…**

"B-Brother…is that…is that you?"

Ed stared-he could do nothing but stare-at the suit of armor, an exact copy of the armor that Al had been trapped in for four long years. Those glowing, pupil-less eyes seemed to grow larger by the second as they gazed point-blank into his.

This had to be a dream.

It had to. He must've fallen asleep at the computer, something was in his coffee from earlier, he was still asleep and would wake up to the morning light with a start. Those were the only explanations.

Why was Al still in armor if…did he fail?

There was only one way to find out.

"Al?" Ed murmured. He held out his hand, carefully, warily, aware that this may be a beautiful, so very painful hallucination that could shatter with the wrong move and send Ed spiraling into a horrific nightmare.

His hand just managed to contact the face of the armor with one nervous, flesh forefinger before everything else happened so fast he could barely get a grasp on it.

"BROTHER!"

First of all, the armor lunged at him, and Ed's face was suddenly pressed into the breastplate of the suit. Then, something rough began nuzzling the top of his head. Ed was suddenly aware of the lack of oxygen traveling into his lungs. All that, and mixed in with Al's laughter.

"BROTHER! Big Brother, it is you! I knew you were alive! I knew it!"

"I CAN'T BREATHE!"

The armor released him abruptly, pulling the flustered alchemist away from him and peering down at him (much to Ed's annoyance). He heard another gasp from Al.

"B-Brother, you've gotten so much older now, and taller! Heck, you might even be taller than me! Everyone else thinks you're dead, but Teacher and I knew you were alive somewhere and…and…and what the heck are you wearing?"

At that, Ed glanced down at his apparel, scanning it in case something was off. He'd grown so used to this kind of clothing that most styles here didn't really strike him as odd anymore. Ed was clad in dark blue jeans, which may have been counted as normal by someone from either side of The Gate, but maybe…

Maybe today hadn't been the best day to wear an "Invader Zim" t-shirt.

Shaking off the weird feeling of self-consciousness, Ed looked back up at Al.

"That's not important right now. How did you find me?" He asked. How had Al found him? How the heck had he appeared in the exact same place Ed did? And how did he know to look beyond The Gate for him?

"It's a really long story, Brother, and I don't have much time, but-" Al was cut off when his older brother grabbed hold of his armored hand and pulled.

"Come with me, Al. Someone would've seen that transmutation light, and I don't wanna be around if someone deems it as 'an invasion'."

"Uh…OK." The younger Elric didn't protest further as Ed lead him through the woods, the latter's mind racing.

He was alive…Alphonse was alive. But…why was he still in a suit of armor? It didn't make any sense. Al's former armor vanished after it was used in the transmutation to bring Ed back.

"In here." Ed panted, ducking through the back door of Shigure's house once the porch came into sight. Al paused as Ed plopped down at the low table, catching his breath.

"Wow Brother." Al murmured. "This is a really nice place. Why's the table so low? This place looks so…foreign. Is it yours?"

"Nope." Ed replied. "I'm staying with a friend of Dad's."

"WHAT? Dad's here?"

Oh crap, that wasn't the right way to go at it, especially considering…what had happened almost a week-and-a-half ago.

"Yeah. He was here Al." Ed dropped his gaze from the armor, who was glancing around wildly as if their estranged father would just walked through one of the entrances to the living room.

"Well, where is he?"

"I'll show you." The alchemist pushed himself up from the table and walked over to the small shrine at the other end of the living room. He could here that familiar clanking sound as his little brother followed; a reminder of the way Al would tag along with Ed anywhere he went.

With a deep breath, Ed opened the small doors and pulled out the canister of ashes. He felt the looming figure of the armor lean over his shoulder to peer and what his older brother held.

A long, painful silence followed. Ed felt even worse when his brother moved away.

"I…see…" He muttered, not much more than a metallic whisper. "When…?"

"Just over a week ago. Ironic, huh?" Ed laughed; it was empty and very flat, though.

"He did, though, want to apologize to you." He added, and heard the clinking of metal, a sign that Al's head had lifted back up.

"What now?"

"I was…kinda able to, y'know, make up with good-old Dad before he passed away. He wanted me to give you his regards when I saw you again."

A small whimper came from the armor. Ah, damn it, he didn't mean to make him cry. Setting the urn back in its spot, Ed turned around to face his little brother, rubbing him reassuringly on his metal skull.

"It's OK." He told him. "Dad lived a good life, especially during the past eighty years he lived here."

"Yeah…" Ed, curiosity getting the better of him and wanting something to break the awkward silence, gripped Al's helmet and pulled it open.

There was nothing inside.

"But…how is that possible, unless…"

"In case you're wondering, Brother," Al stated, prying his head out of Ed's stiff hands and placing it back. "My body's back on the other side of The Gate."

"Wait, what?"

"I can't remember a thing, Ed." Al sighed. Ed sat back at the table, his little brother following and getting comfortable for a long explanation. "Those past four years, Winry told me we had been searching for a Philosophers Stone, but I can't remember anything from the moment we tried to bring Mom back."

_'Those four years of hard labor and endless searching; the blood, sweat, and tears; the anguish of losing the people you cared about; don't you think…that was the price you paid?'_

"The last thing I remember is you reaching out for me before everything vanished, on the day we broke all laws of alchemy. When I woke up, I was in a sixteen-year-old body, not to mention naked. This nice lady named Rose got me out of this underground city I was in."

"We went home to Winry, and Rose told me that…you had given yourself up for me. I don't know what it was, but something inside of me told me that you were alive somewhere. Everyone told me the best they could about the four years I couldn't remember, so…I went to train with Teacher again, and I've learned so much more alchemy since then. I've learned that I can transport a part of my soul into a suit of armor and control it no matter what the distance."

"That certainly explains a lot."

"I kept…looking for you inside The Gate, after Rose told me what you had done, and it nearly cost me my soul so many times. Then, just a few weeks back, we were in Dublith when this kid named Wrath showed up, and-"

"Wrath's still alive?" Ed murmured.

It wasn't surprising that the Homunculus boy had survived the final battle against Dante, but what had he been up to since Ed had disappeared?

"Well, yeah." Al trailed off, clearly confused, but managed to keep going. "Anyways, he told me about what was on the other side of The Gate, and where you might have gone."

"So, after some more research, Teacher and I created a transmutation circle, I transferred part of my soul into an armor suit to ensure that I didn't lose my body again. Then we used some of the red stones inside Wrath as payment to get me through The Gate. I don't know how, but…while I was in The Gate, I could feel your soul. It pulled me to you. And…now, I've found you."

Ed was at a loss for words. So, just as he had been desperately trying to find a way back home, Al had been searching for him?

How…brotherly…that was the only way Ed could put it.

Laughter bubbled up his throat until it became too much to contain. It started to escape as chuckles, but then grew into hearty roars. On it's own accord, a metal fist began pounding into the table. His little brother stared at him like he was crazy, as Ed had learned to tell what the younger Elric was feeling despite the fact that he had no facial expression.

Ed felt all his regrets, his pain, his fears fly out the window. The burdens of those past five years vanished in a fit of chuckles. Laughter was indeed the best medicine.

"Uh…Brother, are you OK?"

"Y-yeah." Ed snickered, trying to regain control of his voice. "I spent five months thinking you were dead and now you just show up out of the blue in a suit of armor!"

He wiped a tear from his eye. It was so weird to have Al here, talking to him, alive. Probably one of the biggest weights he had carried his whole life had been lifted off of him, and now the freedom he had made him rather lightheaded. He found himself grinning like an idiot.

They had done it. Al's body was restored.

"Well, now that I've found you, the only thing we have to figure out now is how to get you back to the other side with me."

Well, there goes his good mood.

Ed felt his body tense up painfully. Go back? His brother was alive, and it was worth it to go home, but…

"W-well, actually Al, Dad figured out a way for me to go back already that bypasses Equivalent Exchange, but-"

"He did?" Al leaped to his feet, holding out his hand. "Well, then, let's go! Pack your things and I'll meet you outside-"

"Wait!" Ed protested. He could feel the confusion coming off Al in waves.

What was he supposed to say? He didn't want to go home, but he wanted to. How was he supposed to explain to his little brother that he desired to stay here, and go home?

He was he supposed to tell Al that he had fallen in love with someone who belonged here?

"Brother?" Al timidly asked. "What's wrong?"

Now what? This was it: Stay here, or go home. The choice was obvious; his brother needed him more, but they needed him, too. He just wanted more time to think.

Time…

_'Otou-san, if...you leave…will you at least let me know? So I can say goodbye? Because…I think that the hardest part of leaving someone, or someone leaving you, is the fact that you never got the chance to say goodbye, so…'_

"Could you…" Ed made his final decision. "Could you give me at least ten more days? I…have some loose ends I need to tie up."

Al was silent, and so was Ed. The elder brother tried hard not to meet the younger's very worried gaze.

"Big Brother," The other Elric leaned down, attempting to decipher Ed's sudden hesitation. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Ed dug his nails into his flesh leg. He was cornered. Al could always tell that something was wrong with him.

"No, nothing's wrong." He muttered. Damn, what was he supposed to do now?

"Brother, don't lie to-" Al's voice abruptly cut with a grunt. Ed's gaze snapped up as Al clutched at his helmet.

"Al, what's wrong?"

"I…can't stay very long in this armor. My soul leaves after a certain amount of time." He grabbed the armors shoulders, staring desperately into the fading eyes.

"Al, wait, don't go! Not after I just got you back!"

"It's OK, Brother. I'll see you soon! I promise!" The armor began to fall forward, the light in its eyes gone.

"No! Al, I can't-" Ed's protest died in his throat. It was too late. His brother was gone from him once again. The empty armor hit the ground with a deafening clang.

Why?

_"I can't…leave…Kisa…"_

XXXXXX

**Amestris, Dublith, 1:45 P.M…**

"Alphonse…Alphonse, wake up!"

The younger Elric jolted awake, his brown, silver-flecked eyes focusing on the ceiling above him. His gaze flickered over to his teacher, who was staring at him with a mixture of concern and fear.

"Al, did it work?" For a moment, the alchemist could only lay on his bed and stare dumbfounded at Izumi, but then he remembered. Tears began to pour down his face.

Ed was alive…he had found him after five months of searching.

"He's OK…" Al sobbed, sitting up in his bed and attempting to stop the cascading water. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, falling on his sandy brown, tied-back hair. "Brother's alive."

"You're sure?" His teacher stared at him desperately. "Edward's alive?"

"Yes, and he's coming home soon."

But…why did he seem so sad?

With a flash of determination, Al slid out of bed, hurrying to his bedroom door. He could see it in his older brother's eyes. Something else was going on that Ed didn't want to tell him.

He had to stop him before he made any decisions he was going to regret.

"I need to go back and talk to him." He stated. "Something was wrong with Brother before I left."

"Wrong?"

"Yes." Al told her, pausing as his hand took hold of the doorknob. "I'm not sure why, but…he asked for some more time on the other side."

"How long?"

"10 days."

Izumi studied him carefully; she was clearly deep in thought. To Al, it didn't make much sense. Why would his brother want to stay a little longer on the other side? Was there something holding him back from coming?

_'I…have some loose ends I need to tie up.'_

If so, why didn't Ed tell him?

"Well, we know you can't go back right now." Izumi stated. "The Gate's way to unstable right now; and Ed will be back long before it stabilizes. So the only thing we can do is wait for him to come back."

"But-"

"No 'buts', Al." Izumi scolded him, a dangerous look in her eyes that had Al shivering. "We can't risk losing your soul. Not again."

The last time he had tried searching inside The Gate without using the red stones Wrath had offered to them, he had nearly lost the piece of his soul in The Gate; that would've been fatal to Al.

Al wanted so very much to not listen to his teacher, but both the fear of her wrath and common sense got the better of him. With a designated sigh, he nodded in defeat.

It didn't stop worrying him, though.

XXXXXX

**Japan, Shigure Sohma's house, 1:45 P.M…**

He always had to screw up didn't he?

With a frustrated, hopeless sigh, Ed dropped his head onto the table, listening to the bang but not feeling the ache that came with it, though he would've welcomed it.

Anything to stop this turmoil.

He couldn't let his little brother down; he had to go home. That was that.

It hurt to leave, but he knew that Al was the foremost thing in his life; even more so than Kisa.

Kisa…as much as he wanted to, he couldn't ask her to come with him.

He wanted to bring her home with him; introduce her to his family, his brother, Winry, Pinako, even Colonel Bastard. But he could never ask that of her. She had a life here; a family. She was _cursed_, for God's sake. He couldn't forget that.

Al was still the most important thing in his life. Ed had sacrificed so much to ensure his happiness and wellbeing; he couldn't throw all that away just to be selfish.

He was going home. He had too.

And on top of that, at the very least, he got just a little more time here with his adopted family. That was more than he could ask for.

With a huge amount of effort, he shoved the thought of his very limited time here and sat back up. With a jolt, he realized that Al's suit of armor was still laying there in the middle of the living room.

_"Now how do I get rid of that?"_

XXXXXX

**3 hours later…**

"NO NO NO NO!" Tohru protested, shaking her head wildly. "I-I couldn't p-possibly…I-I mean, you didn't

have to-"

"Oh, Tohru-kun…" Shigure leaned across the table and affectionately patted Tohru on the head, smiling in a way that said 'don't-you-worry-since-Shigure-will-make-it-all-better'. "It's just a vacation, there's no need for such dramatics. After all, I think you of all people deserve to go to a nice place."

Ed sighed audibly, stirring his miso soup while smiling and shaking his head hopelessly, and Yuki could hardly blame him. He had announced that he had a plan for Golden Week, and it was going to be a long vacation.

Judging by the fact that the Zodiac Dog had dropped a hint that Ed had been using the computer to make reservations, and that the Elric had a lovely fortune at his disposal, it was an unsaid agreement that it was somewhere fancy.

Hopefully, Tohru wouldn't have a heart attack.

"So, have you asked the others if they want to come?" Kyo prompted, raising an eyebrow as the alchemist went for a 5th helping of soup.

"I've called Uo, and she's asking Hana and Megumi. I need to call the Main House, though."

"I-I…" Tohru murmured, still trying to get over her shock. Immediately, tears began to pool in her eyes. "Thank you…thank you so much, Ed-san."

The blonde youth smiled, reaching out and pulling the grateful brunette into a one-armed hug.

"It's good." He said gently, smiling. "Just promise me to have a good time, and we'll call it even."

After dinner and a list of what they would need to bring along with them, Yuki went upstairs to bathe and go to bed.

_"Huh?"_ The Rat froze as he laid his hand on the metal knob leading to the bathroom. _"Why does this feel…thicker?"_

He stared for a moment, and then shrugged, opening the door and walking in.

_"I must be losing my mind."_

XXXXXX

**Main house of the Sohma's, 5:00 P.M…**

"So, we're going on a vacation with Nii-san?" Kagura repeated, watching Haru walk back into the dining room with a cell phone in hand. Kisa, Momiji, Rin, and Hiro all looked up from their plates as the Ox walked in.

"Well, he didn't specify where he was going." Haru explained, shrugging and taking a seat beside his girlfriend, who automatically leaned against his shoulder.

"Why would Onii-kun want to take us on a vacation so suddenly?" Kisa asked, sounding curious but not worried.

"It's actually kind of obvious." Hiro began to explain, swallowing a mouthful of ginger pork. "First of all, he just inherited a huge fortune, possibly one of the biggest in the world. Secondly, he's trying to repay us for everything we've done for him. Thirdly, it's Golden Week. Who doesn't want a vacation?"

"I don't know about you guys," Momiji piped up, sounding very excited. "But I think it's awesome! Since when does the entire Zodiac get invited on a vacation?"

"You still haven't said anything about going, Rin." Haru pointed out, looking at the Horse. She blushed when all eyes fell on her, and her own dropped to the ground.

"W-well," She muttered. "I…I'm not sure if I wanna go if…Akito's going…"

"Well, I'm going." Hiro added. "And I'm certain everyone else is. If you wanna stay here by yourself, feel free."

"Hiro-kun." The Boar scolded him, and then gave a reassuring smile to Isuzu. "You have a little while to think about it, so don't worry."

"I…guess." The Horse trailed off, which made Haru smile. If he'd go, he was certainly that Rin would go.

"I'm gonna go pack." Momiji stated suddenly, leaping from the table and rushing out the door, clearly unable to contain himself at the thought of a surprise vacation. Kagura laughed heartily.

"Sometimes, I wish I had that much energy."

XXXXXX

"Are you sure you want to go, Akito?" Hatori asked, watching the Zodiac 'god' swiftly pack a bag with a variety of clothes (all men's) from the door. She looked up from her frantic packing, blushing slightly in embarrassment.

"Yes, but…you aren't coming, right?" The Zodiac Member shook his head.

"No, I've got too many responsibilities here. But I'm surprised you agreed to go on an extended vacation so fervently."

"W-well…" She murmured shyly. "Otou-san asked me to come, and-"

"Oh, don't worry about that." The doctor walked to her side, observing the suitcase with a raised eyebrow.

"You might want me to help you repack that." He chuckled. "You've got too few pairs of pants and too many shirts."

"S-sorry." Akito mumbled.

"Honestly," Hatori sighed, pulling out what she didn't need from the bag. "You're like a little kid: overexcited when his parents announce that they're going somewhere special."

Akito pouted, and the Dragon had to resist the urge to laugh. She was acting the way she used to before…well, Hatori didn't know what had happened, but one day, when she was little, Akito had snapped.

Nonetheless, it was nice to see that Akito had changed.

Strange, but nice to see.

XXXXXX

**Uotani household, 7:30 P.M…**

"You're not coming?" Uo said in mild shock. She reclined back on her bed and moaned in defeat. "You know that Ed invited everyone."

"_Sorry Arisa."_ Kureno sighed over the phone. _"I can't seem to find some time off, so I'm stuck here."_

"Well, that certainly sucks." The Yankee muttered. "I finally get an opportunity to go somewhere cool for Golden Week, despite the fact that I have no clue as to where, and I can't take my boyfriend."

"_Boyfriend?"_ At this, Uo blanched, her face burning up rapidly.

"No, wait, I…!" Damn it, how was she supposed to get out of this one? "Y-you…"

"_I was just teasing."_ The Ex-Bird laughed, and Uo could just imagine his kind smile. The smile that made her-though she'd never admit it-melt somewhat on the inside. _"I think you should still go, even if I don't."_

"You sure?" She asked once more.

"_I'm sure. Besides, I feel like I've been hogging you too much lately."_ The Yankee chuckled softly, smiling broadly in spite of herself.

"How bout' I bring you back a souvenir?" She offered.

"_That'll do. Take care, Arisa."_

"Bye!" Right after the phone clicked in her ear, Uo dialed another number.

Ed had called earlier today asking if she was willing to come along on a group vacation with the few other Sohma's. At that, Uo jumped at the opportunity. Since when was she going to get another chance like this?

"_Who is it?"_ A quiet voice asked over the receiver after a few quiet rings.

"Hey Saki, are you and Megumi doing anything for Golden Week?"

"_No, why?"_

"Well, Ed invited us all on a vacation, so do you wanna' come?"

There was a strange, and weirdly dramatic, pause over the phone. Uo cocked an eyebrow at this.

"…_Megumi and I would love to come."_ The psychic eventually said.

"So wait, did you put down the phone to ask him?" Uo said in surprise. "I didn't hear-"

"_No, I've been standing right here the whole time."_ The Yankee snapped her fingers.

"HA! I knew you and Megumi had a psychic connection! I just knew it!"

"_Actually Arisa,"_ Another dramatically dark voice drifted to her ears. _"I'm standing here with Onee-chan."_ Uo sighed, rubbing the back of her head.

"You two seriously scare me sometimes."

XXXXXX

**The next day…**

The alchemist deftly leaped from rock to rock, surrounded by the sound of crashing waves. He was surprised at how different the sea would look during noon. The sun beamed down on his black t-shirt, warming it considerably, and the wind was calm for once.

The others hadn't put up a word of protest when he said he was going out for the day, but they still seemed a little…careful of their words around him. Maybe they were still a little wary of treading on him, particularly after his dad died.

It was soothing, but lonely without Kisa here, walking along the beach, her hair lit by the setting sun and swaying in the salty breeze, her lilac scent mixing with the ocean salts, feet lightly dusted with sand, the content in her sweet chocolate-caramel eyes...

Ed cursed himself when he lost his focus and nearly crashed into the next rock over. He picked himself up from the sandy ground, rubbed a sore spot on his elbow. Damn, he really needed to stop getting distracted like this.

"OK, Elric, focus." He muttered to himself, getting back on the correct path. It wasn't long before he reached the flat expanse of rock Kisa had taken him to visit. He could see the cherry blossom tree in the distance on the cliff, waving evenly in the wind.

Golden eyes probing the many pools of brine water and sea creatures, he leaned down near one and pulled out a fine looking, but incredibly tiny seashell from it's depths. He stared at the peachy colored shell, once a home to a small sea creature. It glittered softly, like a little crystal, in the sunlight.

He smiled, stowing it in a small velvet bag he had brought along with him, and got to work collecting the others he would need for the parting gift he had in mind.

XXXXXX

**Kaibara Public High School, 3:30 P.M...**

"YOU'RE SO CRUEL, YUN-YUN!" Yuki moaned audibly as Kakeru threw a tantrum. He had told the rather erratic boy that he was going to be gone for the length of Golden Week, and naturally, him just had to complain about it.

"Kakeru, a little bit of extra paperwork won't kill you." The Rat groaned, rolling his eyes somewhat as he walked down the halls, on his way out of the building. "Everyone else in my family is going, and it'll be kinda awkward if I don't."

"Man," The black-haired boy whined. "Why do you get to go somewhere fancy for Golden Week?"

"Maybe because I've befriended the son of a deceased billionare?" Yuki sighed, only to mentally reprimand himself a second later. Crap, he didn't want it to sound that way.

"By the way, how's Elric-kun doing?" Kakeru asked. "I mean, I know he's been through a lot of crap recently, so..."

"Actually," Yuki mused. "He's...cheered up tremendously since yesterday. I don't really know how to put it, or even what might've prompted that kind of change."

It was weird. One minute, Ed spends most of his time sulking up in his room, the next, he's planning a group vacation and spending more and more time with everyone. Yuki was clueless with Ed's rather erratic behavior.

"Well, whatever the reason," 'Flying-Pot-Kun' continued. "It's nice to hear that."

_**"There you go! Get the cool, get the cool shoeshine! Get the cool, get the cool shoeshine!"**_

"That's mine, hang on." Kakeru reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone, which was vibrating in addition to the strange, offbeat and chipper tune ringing out of it. A few beeps later and Kakeru stowed it back in his pocket.

"Awesome, Komaki wants Mexican for dinner." Yuki had met Kakeru's girlfriend a few days back and, after pounding Kakeru into the ground after him telling her that he was a girl, had dinner with them. Of course his 'Meat*Angel' would want something like Mexican.

"Is she cooking?" Yuki asked, while the vice president shrugged.

"I dunno, she probably wants to go out, but I'll see." He took off down the hallway waving over his shoulder. "See you later, Yun-Yun!"

With an exasperated sigh, Yuki continued down the hall, now with Kakeru's ringtone stuck in is head.

The sound of chalk pieces scattering on the tile caught Yuki's attention. Curiously, he turned to the nearest classroom, a second-year one. Upon peering inside, he immediately recognized the figure hunched over the scattered pieces.

"Machi?" Yuki asked upon opening the door. Said girl jumped, her face flushing red as she turned to face him.

"P-President, I..." She looked away, clearly shamefully. "I'm sorry. I'll clean this up right away."

"It's alright." Yuki had heard from Kakeru that she didn't like things that were organized. Maybe that new box of chalk had something to do with it. He leaned down and helped her pick the pieces up, placing haphazardly into the box for her sake.

"Ummm...President?" She asked, sounding strangely nervous. The Rat turned in her direction upon hearing her quiet peep.

"Yes?" She swallowed.

"Do...do you have plans for Golden Week?" Something inside Yuki seemed to deflate with disappointment.

"Yes, I'm sorry." He apologized, picking up his bag. He followed Machi out of the room and down the hall.

"Oh...I was just wondering." She mumbled.

"Elric-san has a whole vacation planned for us." He told her. "I have no idea where we're going, but how about I bring you something nice?"

At that, the girl blushed once more, and her technique of protesting reminded Yuki vaguely of Tohru.

"Machi, I want to." Yuki interrupted her. "How about, while I'm there, I'll look for more Mogeta franchise?" Machi looked down, flushing an even deeper red.

"I...I'd like that." She smiled one of the first sincere smiles Yuki had ever seen on her sweet face. "I'd like that a lot."

XXXXXX

**Downtown, 4:30 P.M...**

_"I really hope she likes this color."_ Ed thought to himself, sighing and rubbing the back of his head. It was a stupid, cliché thing for him to want to give to Kisa, but still, he thought that this would be something she'd like. He walked out of the jewelers, stowing the long, thin, silver box in his jean pocket and walking down the street. There weren't too many people out; the calm before rush hour. But the afternoon sun was just showing signs of descending to the line of the horizon.

_"Let's see..."_ He ran a list of the other things he needed to do in his head, before he needed to head back home. _"I've got to stop by the bank, pick up a suitcase, maybe a small backpack-"_

As he rounded the corner of a building, his train of thought was abruptly cut off when something running at a considerable speed collided with him. Two grunts ensued as Ed was knocked to the ground. Rubbing his head where it had been hit, Ed prepared to retort to the other person, only to be completely interrupted.

"Hey, Elric-kun!" Kakeru laughed, cracking a cocky smile. "It's been a while!"

"Are you going to make a habit of running into me?" Ed groaned, staggering to his feet as the other boy brushed himself off.

"Well, I'll try not to." He apologized. "So, what brings you to this part of town?"

"Business." Ed simply replied, starting to walk in the direction he'd been meaning to go in. Not surprisingly, Kakeru followed him.

"Well, I'm actually on my way to dinner with my girlfriend, but I keep forgetting where the restaurant is."

"What kind of restaurant? And _you_ have a girlfriend?"

"It's a Mexican place." Kakeru explained. "And you make it sound like I'm completely unable to score a girl! You're so cruel!"

"Well, I know of a place where you can get Mexican, and you were going in the wrong direction entirely." Ed sighed. "And I'm not trying to be mean."

"I know." Kakeru patted his back reassuringly. "I kid..."

That was the kind of person Kakeru struck Ed as. A weird guy, but completely good natured; the kind of person you'd want as a shoulder to lean on. In fact, he reminded Ed of...

"Hold the phone." 'Flying-Pot-kun' stopped in front of a store; a music store, to be precise. He scanned the various ads on the windows before letting out an excited gasp. "Hey, the new "Linkin Park" album came out!" And with that, he grabbed Ed's arm and pulled him into the store.

Ed wasn't really familiar with the pop culture of this world, or even in Amestris, for he had his nose and eyes buried in his research. But even so, he had to admit there were some songs he heard infrequently on the radio (courtesy of Hohemheim, but the stereo that had come with it had remained untouched) that he took a liking to.

He watched as Kakeru raked his eyes over the CD's, and then grew bored of that and turned his attention to the other cases that lined the racks. None of them caught his interest, since he didn't know what was even worth listening to.

"Ah, here we are!" He heard Kakeru exclaim joyfully, pulling an album out from the racks. "Been waiting a while for this to come out."

"Good for you." Ed muttered.

"Hey, you want a copy?" The alchemist shook his head.

"Nah, I really don't listen to music." He explained, and a little eager to be leaving. He had stuff to get done, anyways.

But...then again, this could probably be the last time he ever saw Kakeru, so...

"Are you serious?" The black-haired vice president gaped. "Wow, you must've had a deprived childhood. No wonder you're so grouchy all the time."

"Hey!" Ed retorted, using all his willing to keep himself from murdering him for the insult. "I'm not grouchy!"

"Case in point." Kakeru sighed mockingly, but then started to head down the isle. "Well then, I guess I could recommend something for you."

"Look, I really don't-" Ed tried to say, but was cut off when Kakeru plucked something from the racks and tossed it in Ed's direction. He scrambled to catch it.

"There, give those guys a try." 'Flying-Pot-kun' said, dragging Ed to the register. "They're really good and, in fact, they're one of the first bands I've started following loyally."

Out of a desire to get Kakeru to shut up for a little while, Ed paid for both albums, each being deposited into a different bag. Ed tuned Kakeru's words out as they exited, suddenly noticing how Kisa's gift was poking into his side. Carefully, he pulled it out and slipped it into the bag, thankful that the annoying sting was gone.

"What'cha got there?" His companion suddenly asked and, to Ed's disbelief, a blush crossed the alchemist's face.

"None of your business." The blonde youth stated, swinging the bag away as Kakeru made a swipe at it.

"Hey, come on!" He complained. "Let me see!"

"I said it's none of your business!"

"It's not some kind of 'personal' item, is it?" Kakeru chuckled mischievously, which made Ed want to punch that smug grin off his face.

"No, it isn't!" Ed growled.

"Then I take it your love life hasn't improved much."

"I-!" Ed's voice faltered, suddenly getting to where Kakeru was going with this. How _dare_ he think that Ed saw Kisa that way! "You...I-I...WHY I OUTTA...!"

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding, relax!" The black-haired boy laughed, flinching away as Ed raised his fist. "Seriously though, don't let that Lolita Complex of yours get out of hand."

Ed sighed furiously through his nose. No, he didn't see Kisa that way; he refused to. Just the thought of it made him sick. He loved her for her sweet, kind soul, and would rather die than see himself taint that purity.

"I don't see her that way." He admitted. "In fact...I...I may never get together with her anyways."

"Why's that?" Kakeru asked, strangely interested. Ed didn't reply, instead stopping in front of the Mexican restaurant Kakeru had originally been heading to. It was a rather bright looking place, which stood out to the rest of the neighborhood, where shops that hadn't fallen to corporate business resided.

"You're here." He stated calmly, firmly ignoring the turmoil that rolled around in a clenched ball in his stomach. He could deal with that later. "I...better be going now."

"Don't you want dinner?" Kakeru asked. "I told Komaki a lot about you, and she really wants to meet you, so wanna stick around?"

Ed hesitated. He really didn't want to get to know anyone else here, but...still. The strikingly similar enthusiasm Kakeru had to _that_ person was winning over him.

"Alright." Ed finally caved after another second. "I guess."

Kakeru punched the air in triumph and turned to walk inside the upbeat eatery.

There weren't too many people here, since the dinner rush had not yet started. All in all, it was a rather lazy afternoon for the city. The smell of foreign spices, salsa, and cooking meat drifted to Ed's nose, stirring the appetite that had been rather inactive lately. The waiter, a rather friendly looking Spanish woman, smiled as they walked in.

"Has a girl named Komaki arrived yet?" He asked after greeting her politely.

"No, I'm sorry."

"We must've gotten here early." Kakeru mused. "Well, when she comes in, tell her that her boyfriend's got a table set up."

"So a table for three?"

"Yes indeed ma'am."

After being settled in one of the booths, Kakeru asked for a soda, as did Ed. The alchemist was strangely fond of Coke, for some reason. Though he couldn't figure out why.

"So, what were you saying about you never being able to be with Kisa?"

Ed's chest tightened uncomfortably as his companion scanned the menu. He just wouldn't leave that subject alone, would he? Ed sighed sadly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Well...actually, I'm...going to be leaving here in a few days time."

Kakeru peeked over the menu, shock crossing his face; a first for him. He either was really unsettled by the news, or he could see the downcast expression on Ed's face. The alchemist guessed the latter.

"You're...leaving? To where?"

Panicking, Ed quickly thought up a lie. "Just, to America, actually. I kind of need some training in order to inherit Dad's company, you know? And I...might not be coming back."

Kakeru was silent, partially because he seemed a little speechless, and partially because the waiter came back. In spite of his now hiding desire to eat, Ed simply ordered a seafood salad, while Kakeru went for fajitas, which he would split with Komaki.

Ed idly chewed on his straw after the waiter left while it was still in the glass, watching a fly lazily buzz around the light bulb of a lamp above the next table over. He wanted to choose his words carefully as Kakeru sipped at his beverage absentmindedly.

"So, have you...told anyone else?" At this, the alchemist shook his head.

"No, and I'd rather keep it that way for a while."

"Geez, I finally get to hang out with you, and I find out you're leaving." The other boy groaned. "So, I was right when I said that your love life isn't improving."

"Please don't make fun of me." Ed asked, feeling his chest tighten somewhat. Kakeru was unusually quiet again, lost in his own thoughts. Somehow, the atmosphere between them wasn't tense, which was kind of odd. Ed had thought Kakeru was the kind of person who'd want nothing but to fill any awkward silence.

"So, are you gonna' confess?"

"What now?" Ed mumbled through his straw, half there and half not.

"Are you going to tell Kisa that you love her?"

At this, Ed choked, coughing up some of his soda. One of the few things Ed did not like about carbonated drinks is that it came back on you through your nose. But he didn't pay any mind to the weird sensation, instead blanching at his companion dumbfoundedly.

"W-wait..." Ed coughed. "Are you saying I should _tell her_? Right before I'm leaving?"

"I don't see why not." Kakeru added. "You're just gonna regret not telling her later."

"I-I can't!" Ed threw his hands up in frustration. The thought of telling the Zodiac Tiger about his intense feelings for her was absurd.

And disturbingly, Ed liked the idea.

"And why not?" Kakeru asked, raising an eyebrow. If Ed hadn't been so caught up in the flurry of shock, he wouldn't noticed that 'Flying-Pot-kun' was settling himself into the seat, like he was preparing himself for a rant from the flustered alchemist.

And rant he did.

"F-First of all, I can't be in a relationship with her because I'm leaving. I won't put her through the stress of a long-distance relationship. I've got other things to be focusing my mind on. Secondly, she's...well, she's 13. I'm 17, and that's gonna look pretty awkward in of itself, not to mention suspicious. Plus, she only sees me as a big brother." And with a pained sigh, Ed flopped his head onto the table, groaning quietly with every single emotion he felt for the cursed Zodiac Member. All the love, frustration, pain, was poured into his voice as he finished.

"She probably doesn't feel the same way about me, anyways."

"Are you sure about that?"

Ed remained silent, partially because he hadn't expected the black-haired boy to respond so quickly, and partially because he wanted to let this sink in.

Come to think of it, Ed had never thought about the idea of Kisa actually returning his affection. Somewhere in his head, something had been telling him all along that there was no way Kisa would never see him other than her 'Onii-kun'. His affections were stupid, and just falling in love with her was so idiotic.

But that didn't stop his emotions; it probably never would.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure." Ed moaned.

Again, silence fell between them. Ed, somehow, felt like he'd just let a whole lot out. Maybe he just needed someone to talk to who didn't fully grasp the reason Ed could never be with that sweet, sweet, sweet girl. The clenching in his chest ceased some.

"You know, you never struck me as the type of guy who'd let problems like that get in the way of feelings." The alchemist glanced up to see Kakeru thoughtfully look towards the kitchen of the restaurant.

"What do you mean?" Kakeru put his drink down, leaning forward some across the table.

"Have you ever heard of the saying 'It's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all'?" Ed nodded. "When I met Komaki, we were just friends at first for a long time, but then when I started to fall for her, I debated for weeks on end whether or not I should tell her that I liked her. I was worried about being rejected, because there's nothing more painful than being denied by someone you love. But when I finally threw all caution to the wind and told her, it turned out that she liked me back. I had never been happier, and we've been dating ever since."

Ed gaped at him, letting this settle in his mind. Could he...could he tell her? Even when he was leaving? But then...what if she did like him back? What would he do then?

"That's why I really think you should tell her how you feel. Who knows, she might actually surprise you. Even if you leave, she'll wait for you, won't she?"

"Kakeru-kun!" A voice echoed softly from across the booths, and the black-haired boy glanced up, a wide smile spreading across his face.

"Komaki, my darling!" Playfully, Kakeru took her in his arms, and kissed her forehead. "Guess who ordered you fajitas?"

There it was again; that resemblance of affection he would show to someone he loved. Just like...

"Oh my, who's this?" The girl had dark brown hair, a slight but attractive figure and a friendly smile. Her eyes brightened when she caught sight of him.

"This is Elric-kun." Kakeru pointed out. "He's the one I told you about."

"Hey."

"Oh wow," Komaki slid into the seat with her boyfriend. Her expression fell some. "So, is it true you've got a metal arm?"

Ed wordlessly pulled his sleeve back, exposing where flesh should've been instead of steel. Komaki gasped, both in excitement and shock, and a sympathetic look crossed her face.

"No need to feel sorry for me." The alchemist sighed. "I'm used to it."

"Well, I think it's pretty neat." Kakeru chuckled. "Ah, dinner's here!"

Ed listened, for once, as Kakeru and his girlfriend chatted to each other, to him, and occasionally, to the other diners. He smiled at the way Kakeru would animatedly describe things, and how he would playfully tease Komaki. The two of them, they reminded him so much of...them.

"It was nice meeting you, Elric-kun." Komaki told him after they ate, paid, and left. "I hope to meet you again soon, even if you're going to America."

"Yeah, it was nice meeting you too." Ed replied, holding out his hand for a quick shake.

"You know, send me a postcard!" Kakeru demanded. "I want to hear from you!"

"And we'll send you some pictures, too!" Komaki offered.

Ed sighed through his nose, a smile crossing his face. "You know, the two of you remind me of some friends of mine."

"Really?" 'Flying-pot-kun' said in surprise as he and his girl turned to leave. "What do you mean?"

"They were married, and had a daughter." Ed's heart stabbed painfully at the bittersweet memories. "All the time, he would shove pictures of his 'angel' in my face every chance he got. He drove me up a wall at times, but...through it all, they were really nice people, just like you guys."

"Wow...thanks." Kakeru, for once, looked quite touched.

"Their names were Maes Hughes and Gracia Hughes," Ed told him, ignoring the strange look that crossed Kakeru's face. "And their child was named Elysia."

"Hughes...Hughes..." Kakeru muttered, prompting a confused look to cross Ed's face. "That's weird. Once, I had to do a project at school on our family tree, and my great-grandfather's name was Maes Hughes-hey, why are you laughing?"

"S-Sorry." Ed choked, wiping a tear from his eye. "It's nothing, really." Inwardly, he was smiling, a strange sense of enlightenment washing over him.

This was just too weird, but Ed wouldn't have it any other way.

XXXXXX

**Shigure Sohma's house, 7:30 P.M...**

"Well, welcome back." Ed hardly registered the greeting as he walked inside the house, since he had gotten so used to such greetings. The Zodiac Dog looked over his newspaper to the alchemist from his vantage point at the table. "Despite the time, you're the first one home. Yuki and Kyo both had business of their own to attend to, apparently, and Tohru-kun, of course, had work, so dinner won't be for a while."

"I've already eaten." The blonde youth said automatically, slipping out of his shoes and walking to the stairs, dragging his cargo along with him. "I'll be upstairs for a bit!"

Ed retreated back to his own bedroom, placing his newly bought suitcase on the ground and opening his closet. He didn't pay much attention to what he was packing as he threw various outfits into the suitcase for the week-trip he would be making, but after the suitcase was pack, Ed had a more difficult task to face.

What to take back with him to Amestris?

Eye's scanning his various belongings laying in different areas of the room, he idly wondered what the Sohma's would do to them once he left. Well, probably give them to donations and that kind of stuff. Ed picked out a few books, including the alchemy book from Kisa, and placed them into the small backpack. There really wasn't too much he could take, since any reminders of this world would just bring back painful memories.

But still...

The alchemist sat down on his bed, thoroughly rubbing his forehead. This wasn't easy, and he could really go for a distraction right now-wait a minute...

He glanced at the album Kakeru had made him buy, picking it up from it's spot on his desk as his eyes flickered to his unused stereo.

Well, why not?

Casually slipping the plastic seal off the album, Ed turned on the boombox and slipped the CD inside, watching the small screen as it played the first track.

XXXXXX

"Shigure-san!" Tohru called out, walking inside with Kyo and Yuki in tow. "We're back."

The Dog didn't respond, and upon walking into the living room, the three found him sitting at the table, smiling and staring at the ceiling above him, his hand tapping the wood in a strange sounding rhythm.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Yuki asked, only be shushed by the older man.

"Listen." Shigure told him. Tohru strained her ears, and immediately picked up words coming from upstairs, as well as a strange, steady but haunting tune.

_**"...Picture you gettin' down in tha picture tube,**_

_**Like you lit the fuse**_

_**You think it's fictional?**_

_**Mystical? maybe**_

_**Spiritual?**_

_**Hero who**_

_**Appears in you to clear your view (yeah) when you're too crazy**_

_**Lifeless,**_

_**to know the definition for what life is**_

_**Priceless,**_

_**To you because I put you on the hype sh*t**_

_**You like it? Gun smokin'**_

_**Righteous with one toke and**_

_**Psychic among those,**_

_**Possess you with one go."**_

_**"I ain't happy, I'm feelin' glad**_

_**I got sunshine in a bag**_

_**I'm useless, but not for long, the future is comin' on."**_

_**"I ain't happy, I'm feelin' glad**_

_**I got sunshine in a bag**_

_**I'm useless, but not for long, the future (that's right) is comin' on, **_

_**it's comin' on, it's comin' on, it's comin' on, it's comin' on..."**_

"Either I'm hearing things, or Ed's listening to "Clint Eastwood" upstairs." Kyo stated simply, his eyes wide with surprise.

"This is the 5th time he's played it." Shigure laughed.

XXXXXX

**The next day...**

"So, this is...your mother's grave?" Ed asked, though it was more of a rhetorical question than an actual one. Tohru nodded.

"Yes, and I'm very happy you're able to meet her now!"

Sometimes, Ed just wondered how she was able to keep smiling.

Sighing through his nose, the alchemist glanced over to Uo and Hana, who were saying a prayer before the tombstone of Kyoko Honda. The group had gone to her grave to visit her before they had to leave tomorrow. Kyo had a strange look on his face, while Yuki looked comfortable.

"Hello Mom." Tohru greeted politely to the grave. "This is Edward Elric. And I'm so happy to be able to introduce you to him."

Ed smiled in return. Well, maybe Kyoko was out there somewhere, looking after her daughter from afar. Before, he would've scoffed at the idea. But now...well, Ed wasn't sure what to believe in anymore; curses, bonds, transformations, all that kind of stuff had changed his perception of the world. Not by much, though, but enough to trigger a change in him. A good change.

After helping Tohru clean the tombstone, the alchemist got the joy of watching Kyo and Yuki bicker over the picnic they had at the graveyard, and listen to Uo's vivid stories of 'The Red Butterfly' before the sun set in the sky.

"Well, thanks for stopping by to visit Mom!" Tohru happily told Uo and Hana, who smiled in return.

"Always a pleasure, Tohru." Hana said happily. "Lunch was delicious, too."

"No kidding, your mother taught you some great recipes."

It wasn't long before the four were walking back to Shigure's house, though Haru had asked Ed to stay at the Sohma's house for some reason that night; probably to see if he could weasel out the surprise destination beforehand.

"Hey, you alright?" Ed asked Kyo, turning around. He hung back some from Tohru, who was talking with Yuki. The Cat looked startled for a moment, but then nodded, uncertainly though.

"Y-yeah, I am. I guess I just…" He sighed as Ed fell back, keeping pace with him. "I dunno', I actually didn't think I'd have the courage to, you know…visit her grave this year."

"Really?" The alchemist said in surprise, but then remembered why.

" But, you know, I'm glad I did, anyways." Kyo told him, smiling some. "I…guess it's just gotten a little easier to accept what happened. I've...gotten stronger, and I'm not so...so very angry about it now."

"Sometimes, change can be good, you know?" Ed laughed, glancing up at the sky. It was turning a soft, pinkish-orange hue, more orange than pink, really.

Still…it reminded him of tawny, orange-brown hair.

XXXXXX

**Main House of the Sohma's, 7:30 P.M….**

"PLEEEEEEEEEAAAASSEEEE TELL US!"

"No."

"Oh, come on!"

"Nope."

"You go to the roof next, Ed-kun."

"Thanks Haru."

"You're so mean, Nii-san!"

Ed sighed, rolling his eyes but smiling nonetheless. "Kagura, when I said it was a surprise, I mean to keep it a surprise. You'll see where we're going tomorrow."

"But I can't wait that long, Ed-chan!"

The alchemist firmly ignored him, instead following Haru's directions and controlling the character to the elevator. This small addiction to video games was proving to be a bit of an issue for Ed, but still, the "Silent Hill" games were pretty cool.

Momiji and Kagura were seated next to him, simultaneously watching him play and pestering him about the vacation destination, though Ed's answer was the same every time. He was staying the night, on a spare futon in a guest room, courtesy of Akito. They would be meeting Tohru, Yuki, Shigure, and Kyo tomorrow after the charter bus picked them up, along with Megumi, Uo, and Hana.

"We need to get you your own PS2." Haru told him, biting into a riceball. "That way, you can stop commandeering mine."

"But you have the best games, Haru." Momiji laughed.

"Plus, it's fun playing "Mario Kart" with you and-WHAT IS THAT?"

"That would be Pyramid Head."

XXXXXX

"Night, Haru!" Ed called out, heading down the hallway. Most of the lights were out in the vast estate, meaning almost everyone had gone to bed. Probably not those who were going on the surprise trip, though.

The alchemist stretched, yawning as he walked out onto the grounds. It was nice of Akito to prepare a room for him beforehand. His luggage was packed, as well as his 'other luggage', and was ready to go for both his trips.

He was happy, but still wished he didn't have to go. The feeling of being torn still hurt.

Ed rounded the corner, and froze when a similar sensation crept up his neck. The feeling of being watched. His golden eyes flickered in the direction of the gaze, and a slight rin crossed his features.

Dark, curious eyes watched him carefully from a window nearby, brightening immediately when he noticed her, a smile crossing her face. Akito beckoned him over to where she was.

_'If...you leave...will you at least let me know? So I can say goodbye?'_

It was hard to keep the smile on his face as he approached.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Akito shyly glanced down.

"Sorry." She mumbled. "I guess I'm...nervous."

"Everyone else is excited about it." She leaned back as he scaled the wall with practiced ease, slipping through the window as she shut it.

There wasn't much in Akito's room expect a table, desk, and a futon. Hot tea had been served for her, and an extra cup sat near it as well.

"You don't have to go if you're scared." Ed told her, sitting at the table as she poured him some of the steaming hot liquid. She sipped at hers thoughtfully before responding.

"Well, I want to go." The Zodiac leader stated, staring at her tiny cup. "I...don't want to be afraid of the 'outside' anymore. I have to stand on my own. And...even though it'll be scary, I want to learn about the world."

"And...after all, you...won't be around forever."

Ed clenched his fist, eyes narrowing as he stared at his metal hand. It was silent; as most moments alone with her were. But it wasn't tense. It was calming and accepting.

"...Al's alive..."

At this, her head swiveled around to stare at him in comeplete shock, but he kept his gaze focused on his hands. Out of the corner of his eye, her eyes glittered happily. It wasn't forced and there was no hurt behind them.

She was genuinely happy for him.

"O-Otou-san, that's wonderful!" She breathed. "How do you know?"

"He appeared in Shigure's backyard a few days back." Ed chuckled humorlessly. "Turns out, he's been looking for me for the past five months. I...talked with him and...it's official, I'm going home."

A hand touched his shoulder gently, and Ed turned to see a kind gaze staring at him, but he could detect a trace of tears in her eyes.

"I'm happy for you, Otou-san." She said honestly, and then her eyes flickered to the ground once more. "But...that...doesn't mean I won't miss you."

Ed wasn't sure when she broke down, either right after her words, or when he pulled her into a tight embrace. Tears stained his shirt before long as he soothingly stroked her hair. She was fairly upset. No matter how happy she could be for him, the fact that he would soon be gone forever still loomed.

"I-I'm happy...I'm happy I...met you Otou-san." She sobbed into his shoulder. "Even if...you're gone...I'll never forget you!"

"I'm not leaving right now." Ed reassured her, pulling her away as she gradually calmed down. "We still have one week left." Akito wiped at her eyes, and offered him a watery smile.

"Yes...we do..."

"I'll make sure it's the best week of all, I promise."

XXXXXX

Kisa shyly peeked into the room where Ed was residing for night, hoping he wasn't asleep. To her relief, he was sitting on the porch just outside, looking out at the dusk sky over the garden. Stepping forward quietly, the young girl cleared her throat, announcing her presence.

The alchemist turned around, and smiled broadly.

Was it just her, or was that smile a little strained-looking.

"Hey." He said softly as she approached him. "Shouldn't you be asleep? We've got a long trip tomorrow."

The Zodiac Member sat close to him, straightening her nightshirt.

"I couldn't sleep." She told him. "I'm really excited."

"I'm glad you are." Ed laughed, but then sighed, looking away. "I…wonder if Dad would've, you know, paid for this trip if I asked him if…he was still around."

Kisa felt a small stab in her heart. She leaned forward slightly and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Onii-kun, Hohemheim-oji-chan was really nice. I'm sure he would've if you had asked him." The downcast alchemist nodded somewhat.

"The real reason I came to see you Onii-kun, is to thank you for doing this for us. I…I know it must be hard, what with…things happening recently, but…I really appreciate everything you do for us."

Her heart lit up when a grin crossed his face; a heartfelt one. His metal hand came to rest on her shoulder. "And likewise, I'm grateful for everything you do for me."

Silence fell between them for a few minutes, as Kisa watched the night sky above them. Her keen eyes observed the glittering stars, before a flash of light caught her eye.

"Oh, Onii-kun, a shooting star!" Quickly, she shut her eyes, repeating a wish through her mind over and over again.

"You really believe in that?" Ed guessed, his voice somewhat skeptical. Kisa reopened her eyes and nodded.

"Mmm-hmm. It's fun."

"Well, what do you wish for?" He asked. Kisa smiled.

"For you to see your little brother soon." She told him, and didn't notice the shocked look cross Ed's face. "Every time I see a shooting star, I wish for that to happen."

Kisa gasped slightly when a cool, metal hand cupped her cheek, and was suddenly aware of the close proximity of Ed's face. She could feel his breath caress her lips.

…there it was again.

That sweet, autumn tang; cinnamon and apple.

"You know," Ed whispered, leaning closer. His golden eyes, pools of orchid honey, bored into hers, setting fire to her soul. "You're…really something, Kisa."

Kisa was frozen solid. Her heart was racing as his forehead came to rest on hers, their eyes never breaking away. She tried to speak, but couldn't remember the human language, or how to even think. Her body was so relaxed into his tender touch. The metal thumb stroked her flushed cheek slowly. He was so close…

…so close…

…her head started to tilt to the left, lips parted slightly as her eyes unconsciously fluttered shut.

"…_this feeling…it's…"_

And then, just like that, it was gone.

The Zodiac Tiger blinked her eyes open to see that the alchemist had pulled away, turning his head in a different direction than hers. But even so, she could see so many emotions flitter across his face, like a flock of birds.

Anger, frustration, denial, hurt, embarrassment, regret…and something else. Immediately, he got up, but Kisa could identify a deep shade of red on his face.

"I…" He spun on his heels, walking back into the room to the door. "I need some water. You should go back to bed."

It took a few minutes for her mind to get her body in gear again, since it had experienced some kind of involuntary shut-down. When it started back up, Kisa simply got to her feet and automatically walked back to her room.

She plopped down on her bed, hugging her pillow to her chest and attempting to quell the strange heat that decorated her cheeks.

Kisa wasn't sure what that meant.

"_It…it's almost like…he was about to…kiss me…"_

XXXXXX

**Tokyo, Highway 357, 11:00 A.M...**

"I'm starting to think that we should get him his own iPod." Shigure chuckled to Momiji, watching Ed's fascination with Haru's MP3 device. The Ox was sitting on the alchemist's left (with a rather uncomfortable Rin on his other side), pointing out the albums he should listen to, while Akito was close to his right, looking a little nervous about the whole trip.

"Ah, he's rich now, he can buy his own." Kyo grumbled, looking bored.

A few hours in a bus like this, with over half the Zodiac Members, Tohru, Uo, Hana, and Megumi, and a cocky alchemist, seemed to be getting to the orange-haired boy. Mostly because he was worried that Tohru's best friends would transform someone, but they were occupied with sitting protectively around the brunette, who was watching the other cars go by on the busy highway.

"Are we there yet?" Uo complained loudly, giving Ed a sour look. "We've been traveling for hours!"

"Almost." Ed told her, smiling.

Shigure sighed in content, leaning back in his seat and relaxing. Thank God Mii-chan had gotten off his back for the rest of Golden Week. Now he could enjoy his vacation in peace.

Or...maybe not entirely.

Opening an eye, he once again looked in the direction of The Zodiac Tiger, who was squished between Hiro and Kagura. Every now and then, she would glance in Ed's direction, who was absorbed in the iPod. Every time, she would search him, turn red, and look away. The process would repeat itself.

He wasn't the only one to notice. Saki seemed aware of this as well. The psychic's eyes would flicker in Kisa direction, and then to Ed. She was probably sensing something was going on.

...Did something happen between them recently? And was it for the better or for the worse?

He didn't get a chance to ponder that too much, for Tohru suddenly let out a loud gasp, her eyes wide and disbelieving.

"Is...is that...?" She mumbled, staring out the window. When the other's turned to look, similar expressions of shock and excitement crossed their faces.

"No way..." Uo murmured, a silly grin appearing on her face. Even the stoic Megumi and Hana looked ecstatic. "No freakin' way!"

14 pairs of eyes turned to the smug alchemist, who was smiling from ear to ear. He gestured his hands towards the gate of their destination.

"Welcome to Tokyo Disneyland."

XXXXXX

**Disney Ambassador Hotel, 12:30 P.M...**

"So, it's you, Yuki, Haru, Momiji, and Kyo in that Family bedroom, Tohru-kun, Uotani-san, Hanajima-san and Megumi-san in that triple bedroom, Kisa, Hiro, Rin, and Kagura in another triple bedroom, and me and Akito in a standard bedroom." The Zodiac Dog asked the relaxed alchemist as he leaned back in his cushy lounge chair. The Main lobby was huge, sporting an overhead, starry ceiling and plently of places to sit and relax. It was very busy, what with Golden Week starting. The Zodiac mixed with the tourists, both local and foreign, and being careful not to bump into anyone of the opposite gender. The group was waiting for the check-in to finish so they could get card keys and drop off their luggage.

"That about sums it all up." Ed sighed. "You have no idea how lucky I was to work all this out."

"And...you put me in the same room as Akito because...?" Ed raised an eyebrow, and gave him a cocky grin, leaning forward so no one else could hear their conversation.

"Well, she...kinda told me about your 'issues' together, what with needing someone to talk to, so I figured she'd appreciate that. Plus, you're one of the few who know she's a girl, so I figured it'd look less suspicious that way." Shigure nodded in understanding.

"I think she'd appreciate your efforts."

"For the last time, SIT STILL!"

Angry yelling cut their talk, and both looked over to wear Kyo was attempting to restrain an overexcited Momiji, who had lapped the lobby three times in the last five minutes. Tohru looked worried, while Haru and Yuki simply looked on with amusement. Ed seemed to share that feeling with them.

"I think we might need a leash for him."

XXXXXX

"It's soooooooo BIG!" Momiji yelled upon entering the vast room. Well, not entering, more like running in waving his arms about and leaping onto one of the large beds. There were five in the room, easily accomadating the boys.

"Well, that's what the website said." Ed replied, setting down his bag and smiling as the energetic boy leaped from bed to bed, ruffling the covers and prompting Kyo to hit him once more.

"Don't jump everywhere! You'll mess up my bed!"

"And which one is yours?" Haru inquired.

"The farthest one away from Yuki." The Cat told him simply.

"It's such a shame you got us an extra bed, Ed-kun." The Ox sighed. "I was looking forward to sharing a bed with Yuki here."

"Huh?"

"That's the exact reason why I did that." Ed chuckled. "And no sneaking into bed with each other."

"But that was only once!" The Rabbit whined.

"You scared me half to death."

XXXXXX

"Why did I get stuck with all of you?" Rin sighed, setting her bag aside. She wasn't sure how she had gotten roped into this in the first place, but The Horse wasn't keen on going out to the happy-go-lucky atmosphere of the parks, despite Haru's pressure.

"Well, you didn't want to be left home alone, so you tagged along with all of us." Kagura giggled as she helped Hiro unpack his clothes. Even though he was stuck in a room filled with girls, he didn't seem to complain about it that much, probably because they were all used to each other.

"And so, you're stuck here for at least a week." Hiro pointed out. "Personally, I'm actually pretty surprised that Ed chose a place like this."

"I think he said something about Haru getting him hooked on a lot of the classic Disney movies." Kagura mused.

"He is the one who's sort of taken charge of getting Ed up to speed about this world."

"Hey slowpokes!" The sound of Uo's voice rang through their shut door. "Don't stay in that room all day! We've got places to see and rides to get on!"

"We'll be out in a moment!" Hiro responded, picking up a small camera and stowing it in his pocket. "I'm seconding the rides idea. Splash Mountain, here I come!"

Kagura giggled softly as The Ram hurried out of their room, along with a somewhat sulking Rin, who brightened up some when she found Haru waiting at the door for her. The Boar picked up her purse, but the froze when she spotted the only other person in the room with her by the window.

"Satchan?" The Tiger didn't respond, instead favoring to look out at the distance parks. There was a pensive and slightly worried look on her face. Come to think of it, she hadn't been speaking much ever since they left the estate.

"Satchan, what's wrong?" Kisa jumped slightly, and turned around, looking surpised.

"Oh, Kagura-neechan." Despite the lighting in the room, Kagura thought she could make out the traces of what looked like a fading blush. "I-I'm sorry, I was just...thinking..." She trailed off, picking up the small bag she brought with her to carry a camera, wallet, and anything else she might've needed.

"About what?" The Boar asked as they left the room, and raised an eyebrow curiously when the red color returned to her face.

"About..." She turned an even deeper red, and shook her head furiously, starting down the vast hall. "Nevermind. It's nothing."

Kagura didn't press, but that didn't stop her from thinking about the matter. It was then that it hit her, and she couldn't supress a wide smile.

_"Maybe she has someone she really likes! But...who?"_

XXXXXX

**World Bazaar, 1:15 P.M...**

Akito shakily stepped out of the monorail, unused to it. She felt a rush of gratefulness towards Shigure as he helped her out. All around her, the members of the Zodiac were climbing out and racing towards the front gate. At the head was Momiji, Uo, and Kagura.

"SPACE MOUNTAIN, HERE I COME!~"

"YAAAAY!"

The Zodiac leader fidgeted uncomfortably as Ed guided her to the front gate. Despite sheltering herself from the world most of her life, Akito was familiar with Disney icons.

"So, where do you want to go first?" Ed asked as they strolled into the vast shopping area. The "Haru's trying to get me on a ride, but you can come if you want."

"Let's go!" Akito heard The Ox call from where he, Rin, and Hiro were taking off in one direction. Ed smiled, pulling her along with him.

"You should probably stick with me for a while, or at least, until Shigure finishes shopping for a shirt for Hatori and Ayame. Otherwise, people might mistake you for a lost little girl."

"Hey!" Akito pouted indigently, but followed along.

The crowds of people were even larger here than at the aquarium, but the scenery and views were fantastic. The normall withdrawn woman stared, comepletely awed, as they passed rides, a huge, bronze statue of the man who had made this park and the many sister parks possible, and Cinderella's castle smack dab in the center.

She smiled, childishly, like before at the aquarium.

"My...favorite Disney movie, when I was little, was "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves"." She admitted to Ed when they reached the ride Haru had dragged them to first. He turned away from where Haru was encouraging Rin to get on and looked at her, smiling.

"Huh." He chuckled. "I didn't know that." She contiuned talking as they headed through the lines, which were a bit thin now considering everyone was out eating lunch at the resteraunts.

"F-Father let me watch it when I was younger, not long before he died." She sighed. "It was just once, but...I really liked it."

"Well then, we should watch it again while you're here." Ed added. They reached the cars, and the alchemist's expression changed from comforting and accepting to slight horror in two seconds.

"...Haru, do I really have to get on? I could just wait here, and-"

"Get on, it's not as bad as the one before."

Five minutes later, Akito would forever treasure the memory of Ed absolutely and completely disorientated, Hiro laughing, Rin struggling not to smile, and getting off the ride with a crazy adrenaline rush.

XXXXXX

"So much to do, so much to see, so many rides!" Momiji proclaimed happily. Their little group of Uo, Hana, Tohru, Kisa, and Momiji broke off from the others towards Tomorrowland.

"First, we have to get on Space Mountain." Hana sighed happily. Despite the hot weather, she was still wearing a wide array of black clothes, prompting some people to stare.

"You know, you don't sound very excited." Uo laughed, and breathed in through her nose. "Never in my life would I think that I would be able to enter this park, even for a single day! And now I have a whole week of Disneyland fun ahead!"

"Amen!" The Rabbit shouted as they walked on, and then gasped excitedly. "Look Tohru, it's Cinderella's castle!"

"Indeed it is!"

"You made a very pretty Cinderella, Onee-chan." Kisa praised Hana, who smiled and nodded.

"Hell yes! And you'd make a pretty one too, Tohru."

"Oh no, Hana-chan was prettier."

"Tohru-kun, that's nonsense." The psychic told her gently. "You'd make a very pretty Cinderella."

"And I'll be your prince!" Momiji added, and turned on his heels. "Now let's go do Space Mountain!"

"Isn't that a roller coaster?" Kisa asked, warily looking at Tohru.

"Oh, don't worry, I've been on roller coasters lot's of times."

"But Ed-chan hasn't.~" Momiji laughed. "We took him to an amusement park once, and he looked terrible when he got off."

"Really?" Uo asked eagerly. "This I have to hear."

XXXXXX

"Shii-chan, what would Aya-chan and Haa-chan want?" Kagura asked, pulling a Hawaiian shirt decorated with small Disney charaters from the many racks. "Maybe this one for Haa-chan! All he ever wears are those suits."

"You know Hatori." Shigure giggled. "He can wear it if he goes on a vacation with Mayu-chan. Someday, he may thank me for it."

"Oooooh, Shii-chan, we should get a princess dress for Ayame-niisan!" Kagura suddenly proclaimed, bouncing in her spot. "Then Mine-chan can make a whole bunch just like them!"

The Dog agreed with a smile, but as Kagura took off running towards the more girly section of the shop, it vanished with a low sigh.

He'd been having his suspiscions as to why Ed had brought them here, so soon after his father died, and two theories had been concocted from said suspicions. He sincerly hoped it was merely a way to repay them for everything they'd helped him with, but if it was his other theory:

Their time with Ed was limited.

XXXXXX

**6 hours later...**

"Why did I let you talk me into this?" Ed groaned, wincing as a tug on his hair resulting from his complaining. "OW!"

"Hold still!" Kagura scolded him with a slight glare, and continued running the bristles through his golden tressess. "Your hair has been in disarray for far too long!"

Across the vast hotel room, on a small couch, lay an exhausted looking Yuki. "I swear, I've never run around so much in my life..."

"You didn't let the heat get to you, did you?" The Ox asked him in concern, seated on the floor next to Ed, acting as comfort as he endured Kagura's hair torture.

"No, just walking around all day did that." He groaned, running his fingers through his soft, dark gray hair.

"Hey, lookie at what I bought!" Momiji pranced into the room after opening it with his card key, brandishing a huge box.

"Hey squirt," Kyo called. "Don't go spending so much money in one day!"

"Relax Kyo." Ed sighed, stretching as Kagura ceased her administrations on his hair. "I made sure to give you all enough money for souveniars, foor, drinks, and-HEY!"

"Nice hairstyle, Ed-kun." Haru chuckled.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"What?" A rather pouty Kagura giggled. "It's cute!"

"WELL, GET-"

CRACK!

"HEY, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT ON THAT!" The Boar screamed as she kicked Ed into a wall. "YOU'D BETTER BE GRATEFUL!"

"Yes ma'am..." He groaned, sliding back down. Yuki whistled in utter awe.

"You have to be the only one who can beat on him and get away with it Kagura."

XXXXXX

**3 days later...**

Their trip thus far was both a blur and clearly defined. The Sohma family and their 'outsider' friends raced around the parks, making the most of their time here, at the kingdom known as DisneyLand, creating memories, and jumping on every ride there was available. It was worth the utter exhaustion at the end of the day.

Still, one didn't really seem to be getting into the jubilation of the festivities.

The Zodiac Tiger sat by herself after another one of her mild 'attacks', underneath the bronze statue of the man who made this park possible, holding the hand of his counterpart (Or, more correctly, his cartoon reflection), her head bowed in shame and defeat. She had left their little group of four at the ice cream vendor unexpectedly.

Kisa tried to enjoy herself, she really did, but for some reason, everytime she laid her eyes on Ed, any sort of enjoyment vanshed.

She tried to figure out what had happened to make her suddenly get so very flustered around him. Even when she spotted him from a good distance, all train of thought would utterly stop. She couldn't think until he had left the room or area. It was frustrating! She never acted this way around him, and constantly dodged him whenever she could just to be able to think.

Minutes ago, she had walked away from their group once more when his eyes actually met hers, and she swore her heart stopped. After breaking his gaze, she turned on her heels and left the ice cream vendor they had been at with Tohru and Megumi.

She didn't even know she was acting this way.

Kisa looked to the bright blue sky, as though hoping it had answers for her. She listened to the hundreds of tourists walking about her, snapping photo's, and laughing as they showed each other the products they bought from the many shops. They were having a good time, making the best of Golden Week.

She should be, too.

Well, Ed had paid a good amount of money to get them all here, on this vacation. She should enjoy it while she could, really.

No amount of strange jitters and unexpected moments of shyness and embarrassment should ruin that for her.

Kisa slid off the metal bench, smiling with a newfoundconfidence, but just as she started forward, someone ran right by her at a very considerably close distance. She was unbalanced and knocked to the ground.

She winced, rubbing her sore backside with a low whine of pain, when someone shouted out right above her.

"Hey! You knocked someone over!"

"I did? OH!"

She looked up, startled at the proximity of the voices. Two pairs of eyes, both the same light brown, looked down at her, one alight with the emotion of apology, and the other with concern. The same shade of rusty, auburn hair covered their heads. For a second, Kisa thought she was seeing double.

No, they were twins.

"Are you alright?" The first one to speak was on the left, grabbing her arm and helping her up. Kisa felt a bit embarrassed.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." The Zodiac Member made something of a face as she got up. She felt thankful the person hadn't run into her head on, for who knows what might've happened if she transformed in public. The one who helped her up sent a glare to his twin.

"Hikaru, you must look where you're going!" He scolded. "It's not polite to knock over commoners!"

"Huh?"

"But we're going to be late for our FastPass ride!" The other stated, holding up two tickets to him. The first twin rolled his eyes.

"You got the time wrong! It's not valid for another hour!"

"It isn't?" Brown eyes looked over the ticket, and then widened. "Oh, my bad."

Kisa fidgeted, looking down. "N-no, it's alright."

"I'm sorry." The other apologized. "Hikaru can be a bit...inconsiderate to others around him."

"Hey!"

"I-it's fine, really." She didn't want to make a scene.

"Nonsense, it's rude to pay no mind to a commoner as cute as you." He smiled at her charmingly, making Kisa blush unintentionally. "Why don't we make it up to you? Want some ice cream?"

"Ah, t-there's no need to-"

"Oh, let me." The twin now known as Hikaru sighed. "It's no trouble for us, beside's," He suddenly posed, a bit dramatically. "I want to be as kind and considerate as you, Kaoru..."

"Oh Hikaru..."

They embraced lovingly, and the Tiger jumped at a strange uprising of 'EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE's coming from the crowd, which appeared to be a huge group of wide-eyed girls.

"Well, then, how about that ice cream?" The first asked as they disengaged.

After a bit more sweet talk, Kisa allowed them to take her to the nearest ice cream vendor, a bit wary about following strangers like them. They seemed friendly enough, if not a bit mischevious looking. For some reason. Before long, she was seated on a bench with them, licking a familiarly shaped popsicle, one with two circles seated on a big circle; a nostalgic icon from her childhood.

"Enjoying yourself?" Hikaru asked, with a smile just as enticing as his brother's. She nodded.

"Yes, thank you, but I could've bought one myself, you didn't have to..."

"It's quite alright." Kaoru (Or...was it Hikaru?) chuckled.

She was abruptly reminded of the time Ed took her for ice cream once, sometime after he left the hospital. They ate together in the park, just enoying the bright, sunny day.

She sighed softly, suddenly losing her appetite.

"What's wrong?" The one speaking was definitely Kaoru, this time.

"O-Oh...nothing."

"I'd beg to differ." The other twin stated. "When you sigh, you blow happiness away, and clearly, there is something bothering you."

"W-well..."

"Hikaru, it's not nice to pressure people."

"No, it's just..." She felt a strange need to talk to someone about her troubles. Someone...who wouldn't understand what she wsa talking about, and just listen. "I've...known someone for a long time now, and he's very dear to me, but..."

"But what?" Kaoru asked her, and both twins suddenly leaned in, looking very interested.

Yes, she could talk to these strange twins about her problems.

"Recently...it's...been hard to talk to him without...feeling weird."

"Weird?"

"My chest...starts hurting, and I get jumpy, and-"

"**Ah!**" They suddenly said at the same time. Both grinned and began to snicker.

"W-what?"

"**We've figured out your problem!**"

It was a tad creepy about how these twins could say the same thing at the same time without rehearsing, but hey, they say twins shared the same brainwave pattern.

"Y-you have?"

"Yes." Hikaru leaned in with a coy smile. "You're sick."

"S-sick?"

"Yes. Now tell me," The other twin, Kaoru, crouched to her level. "Have you been experiencing the following symptoms?"

"Like what?"

"Looking for him when he disappears."

"Chest tightening whenever you see him."

"**A need to be around him.**"

"Ummm..." Come to think of it, she had. "Y-yes."

"You are showing quite a few symptoms of the sickness."

'W-what is it called?"

"**It's called Love Sickness.**"

She just gaped at this. No, that really wasn't possible.

But...

_'...for the people who love you...'_

_'I'm...so glad I met you..."_

_'J-Just stay...stay...until I fall asleep...'_

_'...you...really are something...'_

She could barely halt the worst of her blush, eyes going wide.

No, she-she just couldn't. That was too weird, to think...

_'You...smell nice...'_

"So, it is true!" Kaoru exclaimed with a smile, and pat her head. "Well, let's move on to the next matterat hand, then-"

"No..."

"**Huh?**" She took a deep breath, steadying her voice.

"I...I don't...think I do feel that way about him..." She mumbled, turning around. It was rude of her to just walk away, but she couldn't deal with these emotions right now. "I'm sorry, I...need to go find my friends...thank you for the ice cream."

The Hitachiin twins watched her as she walked away after bowing low to them, and the elder sighed.

"Ahh...denial. The ever looming feeling one has when they're in love."

"M'Lord's still in denial, too." Kaoru chuckled. "Or maybe he's just that stupid."

"He must be." Hikaru wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulder as they walked down the sidewalk, heading for Splash Mountian. "To think, he blows off his feelings a fraternal affection."

XXXXXX

**Three days later...**

His final day in this world arrived too quickly and too slowly. Ed was tired of time not making up it's mind about how it wanted him to approach this day, but still, it came.

He laid back on his bed in the exquisite hotel room, watching the ceiling fan spin as his brain repeated the same thoughts over and over again.

One day.

One last day with them before he was gone from their lives forever.

One last day to make this the best day of his life. Of their lives.

He would do that. One last moment with each of them before he never saw them again.

"Hey, Ed-kun!" Haru's voice roused him from his thoughts, and the alchemist glanced up. The Cow was standing at the hotel door, looking at him inquiringly. "Come on, it's our last day here!"

Ed smiled a sincere, happy smile at him.

"Yeah. Let's make the most of it."

XXXXXX

**Disneyland, 9:30 A.M...**

"Hey, Ed-chan!" Ed glanced over to Momiji, who was waving around a hat. Haru had dragged him, along with Momiji, to the nearest store to get anything last minute they might need. "Put this on!"

"No." But before he could protest, the cap modeled after Disney's clumsy but lovable Goofy was slammed on his head. Ed rolled his eyes as Haru chuckled.

"Get that one."

"No way." Ed laughed, pulling it off.

"Come on, get something!" Momiji told him, bouncing up and down. "You went out of your way to take us here, and you don't even get a keepsake!"

Ed smiled. Well, if there were any other circumstances, he would've gotten someting. But still...

"I guess..." He just scanned the shelves with nothing in mind, until another object was shoved into his hand via the Zodiac Rabbit.

"This one!" He laughed. It was a simple photo keychain. "You can put a picture in it!"

He could, couldn't he? Would it hurt to take a reminder home with him? It may, but Ed never wanted to forget these two. Ever.

"Hey..." Ed sighed as they paid and left. Both cursed Zodiac Members looked at him in curiosity. Ed smiled at both of them.

"Thanks for...everything you've both done for me." He said, smiling broadly, and was caught off guard when the rather bouncy rabbit jumped at him with a giggle, throwing his arms around Ed's middle.

"You're our best friend, Ed-chan!" Momiji laughed. "Both mine and Haru's!"

Haru grinned at him, prompting Ed to ruffle his good pal's hair.

"And you're both my best friends, too."

XXXXXX

**2 hours later...**

The alchemist was happy to actually get off this ride (Space Mountain) without stumbling over and collapsing to the stone ground, randomly mouthing off the Periodic table elements. He was getting better at this.

"Again!" Up cheered with a jubulant laugh. Saki and Megumi smiled in amusement.

"Arisa, you've ridden this ride so many times." The psychic giggled. Her brother nodded in agreement.

"So? This is our last day here! Why else wouldn't I take advantage of it?"

Ed chuckled as he followed the three back to the entrance, chewing over his world as they got in line again. He wouldn't go again, since he wanted to say a few words to Shigure next, but still...

"Elric-kun..." Hana turned her creepy eyes to him, which made Ed sweat a bit. He could never figure her out. "What is it you wish to say?"

"W-well, ummm..."

"It's not a love confession, is it?" Uo teased him. Ed glared at her playfully, before sighing.

"Well, it's just..." He smiled at them. "Thanks for keeping my secret for me."

"It's no problem." The Yankee told him, mussing his hair playfully. Ed whined, but then heard Saki giggle.

"Tohru-kun cares about you, very much." She told him, smiling. "Of course we would help you."

He never really realized how much he actually liked these two, and appreciated them, until now. Ed felt something move within him.

"So, just...thanks..." He turned around and walked off.

Megumi turned to his sister, an inquiring look in his eyes. Hana simply nodded.

"Yes, I felt it to." Uo looked at them in confusion before turning around to catch up with the moving line.

Hana, being the precognitive person she was, knew that they wouldn't see anymore of Ed after this day.

XXXXXX

**30 minutes later...**

"Ah, Ed-kun, you know how to spoil a person~" Shigure giggled as he he posed before the mirror in the clothing store. Ed, before, had found it hard to picture Shigure in anything else other than a kimono or a suit.

The Zodiac Dog in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts was something else to see, really.

Ed rolled his eyes as The Dog paid for the many things he was getting for Ayame and Hatori before exiting. "And here I thought you couldn't get any weirder."

"You'd be surprised at how people can surprise you, Ed-kun." Shigure told him as they walked out of the air-conditioned shop and into the heat outside. "Your father is one of the few who can surprise me, really."

"How did he find out about the curse?" Ed asked. "And how did you find out about him?"

Shigure paused, staring at Cinderella's castle in the distance thoughtfully. "It's a funny story, actually. A girl at our old school found out about the curse at school, by way of jumping at Aya when he charmed her a bit too much. Of course, Hatori erased her memories in an instant, but it wasn't until three days later did we find out that someone else had witnessed Aya's transformation."

"We were called to his class after school, and he explained to us what he saw. Hatori began to explain, when your father pulled back his sleeve and showed us the damage along his arm." Shigure sighed, shutting his eyes. "It was, in his eyes, and Equivalent Exchange. He discovered our secret, and likewise, we discovered his."

"...you know, I'm glad I stayed at your place." Ed told him. "And...I'm really thankful that you...let me stay with you, even."

He was surprised to feel a tender hand patting his head, and looked up to see Shigure smiling kindly at him, which was strange to see on the jellyfish-like Shigure's face.

"Ed-kun, your father kept our secret when he could've exposed us." His smile grew. "We can never repay him for that. So...I guess it's in my best interest to repay him by taking care of you."

"Still," The alchemist thought back to the moment he came here. They could've kicked him out of that house, and they didn't.

"Thanks for everything, Shigure."

XXXXXX

**Disney Ambassador Hotel, 2:30 N...**

Apparently, rough water games were a favorite pastime of Haru's, so, when they retired to the hotel pool to escape the heat of the afternoon, Ed found himself with a rather rambunctious Uo sitting on his shoulders, splashing Kagura, who was on Haru's shoulders as they tried to knock each other off. Ed was getting the worst of the splashes as The Yankee tried to get the upper hand. The game was ended five minutes later when Momiji caught them all off guard with a cannon ball.

Ed climbed out of the pool to get a drink, spotting Rin sitting on a reclining chair, out of the sun and out of firing range of the splashes. She still sulked about being brought to 'the happiest place on Earth', but everyone knew she was enjoying herself. The fleeting smiles after getting off a ride or eating some exquisite kind of food were proof enough.

"Not gonna' get in?" Ed asked, drying himself. His prosthetic got some attention, especially with the lack of clothing now, sure, but he'd seen others like this around the park.

"No...I don't like swimming." She told him, watching Haru as he atttempted to de-pant Kyo in the water. The Cat responded with a huge fit.

"Hmmm..." Ed was about to go get something to drink when a tug on the end of his trunks caught his attention. He turned back to see Rin open and close her mouth three times, before speaking.

"Hey, ummm..." She fidgeted. "I'm...not sure what you said to Akito, but...whatever you did...I probably wouldn't be here, with Haru..."

"So...thanks..."

The alchemist recalled Akito talking about Rin's imprisonment for a few days. Didn't she mention breaking up with Haru at New Years, so...

"No problem." He told her. He pat her hand affectionately before walking away.

Kagura caught him as he headed for the snack bar, giggling and soaking wet. Ed tossed her his towel.

"You fight dirty." She giggled, and smiled at him affectionately, drying herself off. The alchemist chuckled before getting a basket of fries, slathering them in ketchup before munching on them. Kagura joined him as they sat down together.

"...Kisa's been avoiding you."

"Hmmm?" He looked up at that, eyes widening. Oh man...did she...get the hint from...the night before they came here?

...Probably. He must've scared her off, then.

"She's...distracted." Kagura told him, looking at him expectantly. "Having fun here, yes, but still, she needs a bit of clarity."

"Clarity on what-OW!"

Kagura smacked him angrily on the shoulder. "Get it through your thick skull, idiot!"

"OK, OK, geez." Ed sighed, leaning back in the chair.

"...you know, Kagura?" The Boar looked at him as he spoke. "I...you're really good to me, you know that?"

She was always there to kick him in line, to worry over him when he did something stupid. She was like Winry in a sense...only, more protective of him. It was nice to know that someone worried over him like she did.

The Zodiac Member smiled at him broadly, mussing his hair and standing up.

"You're good to us all, Ed-chan." She giggled. "But you're still a blockhead."

"Hey!"

The Boar laughed, skipping off back to the pool. Ed groaned, leaning back in his seat.

The clock was still ticking away the time he had left here. With this precious, precious family.

He heard Tohru giggling as Kyo and Momiji took turns spinning her in an inner tube in the water. She looked so happy with hre friends-no, her family.

He wanted to say goodbye to her, to thank her for everything-for the kindness, the acceptance, the love she showered him with-but he knew he could not do that without breaking down.

Like the child he was on the inside.

XXXXXX

**5 hours later...**

They were fighting again. Ed sighed as he watched the Cat and Rat go at it, arguing over the times of the fireworks they would be seeing tonight before leaving the next day. It was their last event. Haru and Momiji simply chuckled, heading out of their room to meet with the others downstairs as they still aruged. After another five minutes, Ed took the initiative to bonk their heads together.

"Geez, cut it out, you're giving me a headache."

"So why'd you give us one?" Kyo groaned as Ed let got of the scruffs of their necks.

"Returning the favor." He chuckled. He started getting his stuff together. This wouldn't be unsual for any of them, since they were leaving tomorrow, but Ed intended on leaving tonight.

He'd arranged for a bus to take him back to the Sohma house at 2 A.M, when everyone was sure to be asleep. Then, he'd get the bag filled with books and a few articles of clothing before leaving. The transmutation circle was ready outside in Shigure's backyard.

"...Hey, ummm..." Ed didn't know what to say to thes two unusual boys who'd come into his life, but when they looked up from their packing at him, he knew.

"Thanks for putting up with me all this time."

To his complete surprise, Yuki smiled, and Kyo did too.

That clearly had to be the first time they'd ever agreed on something.

"We're family, right?" Kyo told him with a laugh. Ed felt a lump build up in his throat, and had to look away to hide his eyes. Discreetly, he pulled out a long, silver box out og

"Yeah, we are..."

One person he considered more than family was one he hadn't spoken to.

Despite everything, Ed knew he would never be able to let go of his feelings unless Kisa knew he loved her.

XXXXXX

**Disneyland, 8:30 P.M...**

A small tug on his sleeve caught his attention as they got off the monorail. The Fullmetal Alchemist turned around to stare into the sad, dark eyes of the woman he so very cared for.

"So...this...is it, right?" She asked him. Ed waited until the others were further ahead before responding.

"Yeah..." He sighed through his nose, embracing the small woman tenderly. It was clear she was crying.

"I'll miss you..." Her face buried into his shoulder.

"I will, too..." Ed pulled away, and managed a weak smile. "Look, Shigure, he...he still...you know...cares about you alot, so..."

Akito blushed deeply, glancing to the ground. "Yeah...I know he does. I...I think I've...forgiven him for everything now...all I can do is hope he forgives me."

"You'd be surprised at what he really feels for you." Ed chuckled, taking her hand and holding it tight. "It's one of the things about being human. They will always surprise you."

XXXXXX

"Our last night here, and it's 'gonna be kick-ass!" Uo shouted gleefully, punching the air as she stared at the huge Cinderella castle before them, illuminated by many lights that changed color at any moment. Kisa giggled slightly as she watched Tohru and Hana nod in agreement, the former bouncing somewhat in her spot.

This had to be the best Golden Week they've ever celebrated.

"Now don't run off children!~" Shigure called out as the large group settled in their spots. Akito was watching the sky next to him with anticipation and slight nervousness in her eyes. "The fireworks will be starting any second now."

"Hearing you say that is frightening." Yuki retorted as Haru took a seat on the sidewalk beside him, dragging an exceptionally less-sullen looking Rin with him.

"How many fireworks do you think they'll set off, Kagura-neechan?" The Tiger turned to the person, asking. The Boar's eyes sparkled.

"I heard they spend millions on fireworks each night, so maybe hundreds!"

"EEEEHHH?"

"Tohru, you forget that Disney has money pouring out of their ears." Kyo playfully admonished her. "Of course they'll be able to afford fireworks."

"Y-yes, of course."

Kisa looked around her. Everyone was looking happier than ever before, relaxed and enjoying a vacation together, as one big family. Yes, that's what they were. A family.

And they had the strangest habit of picking up odd people.

A slight glance to her side brought her eyes to where the alchemist that made these great times possible was sitting.

Or, rather, where he used to be sitting.

Blinking curiously, Kisa glanced around, searching for their otherworldly companion. Strange that he would disappear right before the fireworks.

The Tiger stood, wandering away a little from where Kagura was chatting happily with Hiro and Megumi. Where would Ed go at a time like this?

_'Looking for him when he disappears.'_

_'Chest tightening whenever you see him.'_

_'A need to be around him.'_

_'You are showing quite a few symptoms of the sickness.'_

_'W-what is it called?'_

'_**It's called Love Sickness.**_'

With that, Kisa shook her head furiously. It wasn't wise to head the words of strangers, even more so from mischeivous twins like them. No, she couldn't...seriously, she couldn't...

"...could I...?"

"Could you what?"

Kisa nearly leaped out of her skin at the familiar voice. She spun around to see said alchemist staring at her inquiringly, an eyebrow raised. It was then that The Tiger realized that she was a little ways from their group. The area wasn't as crowded here. She must've been wandering around while thinking.

...it was strange, but Kisa...even in this dim light of the park and crowd of people, she could see that he looked a little upset, for some reason.

The feelings returned, despite her attempts to oppress them. She looked away out of total shyness and embarrassment.

"O-oh, ummm...sorry." She muttered. "I was just thinking out loud."

Ed looked away too, and another one of his now frequent odd looks crossed his face. He opened and closed his mouth three times before any words actually came out.

"...I...umm...hey, there's...something I wanna' give you." Ed mumbled, his eyes flickering away. In spite of herself, Kisa couldn't help but smile at him. Not 'up at him', no. She was getting taller. In fact, the top of her head now reached his shoulders.

"Alright." She watched as the alchemist reached into his pocket, and her brown eyes widened as he produced a long, thin and silvery box, tied with a pretty silk ribbon. Kisa couldn't keep a wide grin from crossing her face.

"Oh, Onii-kun, you didn't have to get me anything!" She said joyfully, accepting the box as Ed handed it to her. He smiled; a true smile, one that she treasured seeing.

"I wanted to." He admitted. Kisa didn't notice another flurry of emotions crossing his expression as she opened the box, gasping slightly at it's contents.

Laying in the white foam was a long, thin necklace adorned with tiny seashells, valuable coral and minerals from the sea. The pendent was a larger shell with a beautiful, sparking piece of opal adorning the center of the wavy pattern.

If not for the fact that they were in a crowd, Kisa would've hugged him right there.

"O-Onii-kun..." She whispered, tearing up slightly. The Zodiac Member pulled the gift from it's box and slipped it around her neck "It's...it's so...wonderful. You shouldn't have!"

"I..." He glanced away, which prompted the huge smile on her face to vanish. "I..."

Kisa heard him swallow painfully, and there was no mistaking the red color blossoming on his cheeks. His eyes were fixated on the ground as his hands clenched together.

He looked devastated.

"Onii-kun, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly, shocked by his sudden change in attitude. "Are you sick? I can-"

"No, I'm not." He leaned forward, closer to her. "I'm...so confused..."

Kisa didn't respond. Maybe he needed to let something out.

"I'm...confused, and...I can't figure out...Kisa, I...I've been...feeling...so many things around you. And I..."

Two hands, one lifeless and one so very much alive, placed themselves on her shoulders. Kisa could feel her heart freeze as soft words were whispered to her.

"...I love you..."

She tried to respond, and failed. Her mind was trying to process this. All that really came out of her mouth were little stutters as she tried to meet his eyes.

"I...I like you too, Onii-kun..." Ed glanced up; there was fire in his eyes. Not anger, not fury or pain or anything negative. Something she'd never seen before, but could recognize it in an instant.

Passion.

"I-I don't love you as a sister." He said firmly, and Kisa suddenly found herself so very close to his body. The hands tightened on her shoulders. "I love you...as I would love a woman."

All thought was gone, just like the night before they came here. It was experiencing another shutdown. Was it...a defense mechanism?

"I...I love you Kisa." He whispered, and his breath hitched. "I love you so much it...hurts..."

She wasn't sure when he had moved, or how he had moved so quickly in that instant. It was like her senses were suddenly heightened to the max, like in the tiger form she changed to. But that didn't matter, the first firecracker of the show booming above them didn't matter, the cheering crowd nearby didn't matter.

What did was the calloused but oh-so gentle lips on hers.

Kisa could taste it so vividly; the soft, autumn flavor of warm cinnamon and sweet, crispy apples, bringing back memories of her days as a grade schooler. A cold, prosthetic hand was cupping her cheek, holding it steady as the mouth moved against hers.

She couldn't respond, she couldn't move, she couldn't think; nothing tried to protest this. Her body was still in shutdown mode.

Her first kiss...

She never imagined her first kiss would include hot tears pouring from the eyes of the other, landing on her cheeks.

The salt water, filled with so many, many emotions that needed letting go, brought her back somehow. Maybe Ed's tears, and how rare they were, triggered an instinct to comfort him. But it vanished with a rush of adrenaline that coursed through her body so suddenly, jolted her to move. She still couldn't get her thoughts together.

She need to think, she needed to breathe, she needed to move, she needed to react, she needed to...

Get away.

Run.

With a low squeak, her arms, on their own accord and not hers, suddenly shoved against his chest. Kisa could hear him grunt as he tumbled to the ground in a heap. She didn't look back, or even stop to consider why her legs were moving so quickly on their own, racing through the crowds oo-ing and aw-ing at the fireworks bursting into many colors above her.

It was a miracle she didn't bump into someone of the opposite gender, and even more so when she darted through the front entrance and leaped onto a monorail that was just about to leave. The air-conditioned compartment was empty, void of all life as most had prefered to stay during the show. She collasped onto a nearby seat as the innovative transport began to move with a slow lurch.

The cheerful voice of the man who reminded people of saftey regualtions was drowned out by the pulsing of blood in her ears and her rapid heartbeat. She struggled to catch her breath from her sprint and felt the jet-laggish feel of the crash after a rush. She calmed down a minute later, and finally, her train of thought was back on track.

Only one phrase, however, repeated itself in her mind for the rest of the trip back.

_"Why...did I...run?"_

XXXXXX

_***~Omake time!~***_

_**Voice actors**_

_**Ed:**_ *Assumes a Tamaki-like dejection pose in the corner of the room*

_**Kyo:**_ And the scary part is that they have the same English voice actors.

_**Al:**_ Well, considering I have Hiro's voice actor, it comes of no surprise.

_**Hiro:**_ But you and I are nothing alike.

_**Tohru:**_ It's also strange to think mine voiced one of the Homunculi in the first anime.

_**Shigure:**_ The first FMA anime was better, in my opinion.

_**Momiji:**_ Well, since the author's currently bleeding to death from the brain on a sharp, pointy object, I will be taking over!~

_**Kyo:**_ No you won't! ***THWACK!***

_**Momiji:**_ WAAAAAHH! Kyo's picking on me!

_**Kakeru:**_ Oh well. Everyone, the author has left me instructions to ask you to drop some flames if this chaper was unsatisfactory for your tastes and, considering how short it was in comparison to the other chapters, to bring more dejection upon her being. Thank you for reading and being patient!


	15. Left Behind

_**Author's Notes:**_ Well, I live. Short filler chapter is short; I hate the overall quality of this chapter so much. Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Please read the notes at the end of the chapter regarding the second half of my gift to all of you.

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. The scenes that go in sync with the Fruits Basket manga also belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei. Everything else mentioned belongs to their rightful creators and owners. Plot belongs to me.

_**Inspiration for this chapter:**_ Gone by U2, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy by Sarah McLachlan, Just Be Friends by Megurine Luka, Stay (Faraway, So Close) by U2, Let Go by Frou Frou, and The Sixth Station from the Spirited Away OST.

_**Reminders:**_ Welcome to the theater that is my mind. While in the theater, we ask you to please refrain from the following: No smoking, no believing, no noise, no killing, and absolutely NO detection. This is _**"The Alchemist and the Zodiac"**_. Enjoy it with us.

XXXXXX

Chapter 15

Left Behind

**Disney Ambassador Hotel, 9:00 P.M...**

Round and round and round and round the ceiling fan went, on it's lowest setting as unfocused chocolate eyes watched it spin. The person staring blankly at it was on her back, feet propped on the pillows as she lay the wrong way in bed. In her hand she clutched a seashell necklace, unable to let it go despite the pieces of coral digging into her skin. The treasures from the ocean would surely leave marks on her palm. Moonlight poured from the window across her legs, giving the dark room a faint, silver illumination.

The only sign of life from her was the occasional blink and the even rising and falling of her chest. Hours past had been a blur to her, as she dazedly wandered back to her hotel room after getting off the monorail and slipped into her pajamas, unable to get rid of that one phrase that echoed in her consciousness.

It wouldn't leave her, it wouldn't cease it's eternal repeating, she just couldn't get it out of her head.

Three words. Three little words that she once heard from family when little, and from a friend who helped bring her out of the dark. And now, from someone she never expected to hear them from.

_'...I love you...'_

_"You do?"_

_'I love you...'_

_"For how long?"_

_'I love you.'_

_"Why?"_

_'I love you!'_

"I know." She finally whispered.

She knew that. _Of course _she knew that. Why didn't she see it before, why didn't she see the signs, notice _something_? Everything he had done for her, every act of charity for her, every act of kindness, everything nice he said to her, his gentle touches, his gifts, his smiles, his blushes, his actions...

It was always there in all of it. Love.

Edward Elric loved her.

Kisa let out a long breath, trying to get her mind off of the shell shock and back on track. It was hard. She didn't know this foreign feeling that clenched at her chest nonstop ever since he whispered those words to her.

And then his action afterward. Her lips still tingled from the feel of his mouth upon hers. The movements, the tears, a need for her. The Zodiac Member never knew such emotion could be conveyed from such a movement before. She could still feel it, smell it, taste such feelings, mingled with his natural autumn flavor. Pain, desperation, longing, and passion.

Such passion! So much to try and take in. Was that how deep his love ran for her? So much it would overwhelm her?

Maybe...

So much to sort out. She didn't know where to start with organizing this into a coherent order that she could comprehend it all. It was scary to think about, trying to accept these emotions, and she had no idea of the outcome they would have. Would she still be able to face him after this, let alone talk to him? Would she hate him, see him as something that she could never accept?

Why was it so hard?

Her head turned slightly and her arm numbly moved up, bringing the pretty necklace to her line of vision. Pretty coral, pretty shells, and a gorgeous jewel in the center. The opal sparkled in different colors in the faint light. So pretty...

This was proof enough that he loved her, that his words were true.

So...

How did she feel about this?

This was a question that she'd been dodging the best she could, unable to come up with anything. Kisa had asked herself that once, and all she felt was a hurricane of emotions course through her. It was enough for her to put the question under lock and key and ignore it until she grasped this whole situation.

Now, she had to ask herself it once more.

_"...How do I feel?"_

What were these emotions that coursed through her? Anger? No, certainly not that. Confusion? Yes, indeed. Fear? Maybe...no...yes...she didn't know.

...Happiness?

"..."

There was no mistaking the elation she felt at knowing this, and she didn't know why that was. Why was she happy? Why did his words, the three simple words, make her so happy? Each answer just led to more questions!

The Tiger wanted to give up, sleep on it and put this off until morning, but then her dreams would be plagued by everything that had happened. Besides, sleep wouldn't come to her unless she figured out her own emotions.

Sitting up and ignoring the head rush, she sat cross-legged on her huge, fluffy bed, staring at the seashell in the palm of her hand. Her eyes unfocused until all that danced before her vision were little bits of glittering bokeh from the opal in the moonlight.

Kisa didn't know what she was feeling. She'd never experienced such a combination of emotions before until now. What happened to the comfort and security she felt around him? The feeling of belonging, of protection, of acceptance and a need to be with him, all that before. Where did it go? It was always there-

...

...so did she love him back?

_'**It's called Love Sickness.**'_

Love. A four letter word that was impossible to describe yet was the perfect word for many things. A four letter word that many use. A four letter word that inspired artists and built relationships for thousands of people.

Did she love Ed?

_"...I don't know."_ The words just kept echoing quietly in her head. _"I-I don't know, I mean...maybe, but...how can I...I..."_

_'Looking for him when he disappears.'_

_'Chest tightening whenever you see him.'_

_'A need to be around him.'_

They were right.

Her own stupidity was astonishing.

Kisa's soft, chocolate eyes dropped from the soft glistening of the opal, fingers closing tightly around the shell. She didn't know where to look expect her fisted hand. Her head felt clear for the first time in a while, and she had only one train of thought going now.

_"When was it...?"_ Scenes flashed before her eyes, some so recent, others so far back into the days when those golden eyes first met hers, as they crouched under a tree in a shrine, during a rainstorm.

_"Was it...when you first found me, in the rain? Or when you...you decided to give yourself up for me? Or when I first saw you cry in the hospital? You were so weak then...I thought you were going to fall apart."_

She was sure of everything now.

_"When did I...fall in love with you?"_

His fiery topaz eyes, filled with pain and determination but with so many feelings for her that she could recall seeing and now identify with, were in her foremost thoughts. He always had that cocky grin on his face, too, confident and sure of himself but strained with hidden insecurities. She remembered the first time she touched his long, blonde hair, taking care of it when he got so far into his research that it was lacking in it's normal, healthy sheen. It had been soft against her fingers as she braided it.

She loved it all. All of Ed.

Kisa loved him.

She loved Ed.

That thought made her giddy, feel lightheaded and blush fiercely at the same time. Kisa swayed slightly before catching her balance as blood rushed to her face, coloring it deep red.

The Zodiac Member didn't know when these feelings began, but...they were always there. She'd loved Ed for so long and not realized it. The need for his company, his words, the sound of his voice, his assuring presence, always had she felt it.

Thinking of Ed, and seeing him in minds eye in a whole new light was just mind boggling. He was no longer the familial figure she thought he was to her. He was...a man.

A man who loved her unconditionally and with passion.

Passion wasn't a feeling of lust, no, it was one of dedication and strength of feeling to someone. Ed was passionate in his love for her, as he'd showed her countless times. And so was she.

A smile grew on Kisa's face, as did her blush deepen in color. She wanted to see him all of a sudden. Run to him, tell her how she felt about him, that she was sorry for pushing him, and-

Her body tensed as she suddenly recalled the rest of what happened earlier, gasping softly and eyes widening with horror.

She had pushed him away from her...

But, it was hardly her fault! He'd completely caught her off guard, and she couldn't think clearly. So...in the adrenaline rush, she had pushed him off to get away and think again.

Still, she felt terrible.

How hurt must he feel now? He'd bared his whole soul to her! His being, his heart, his feelings, everything! They had been hers for the taking.

And she had pushed him away.

Kisa had hurt him; the very thing she'd been trying not to do for so long.

"I...need to apologize." The Zodiac Member sighed, squeezing the necklace tight. He must think, now, that she had rejected him, when it was quite the opposite now.

The sound of footsteps, and loud, happy talking reached her ears, then, far down the hall outside. The others would be coming back soon. Well, she could leave right now and talk to him, but...she felt so guilty, she couldn't bear to look him in the eye when she confessed. She wanted to be confident, but right now, the possibility of them both in emotional wrecks was high.

As Kisa laid down on her bed, the right way, she held his gift close to her. She was tired from the emotions, and knowing that a good nights sleep would allow her to settle down.

_"I'll tell him tomorrow."_ She decided firmly, beginning to drift off. _"I'll tell Onii-ku-...no, Ed. I'll tell him how sorry I am tomorrow. I hope he can forgive me...and then I'll tell him I love him..."_

XXXXXX

**4 hours later...**

Light snores filled the room as quiet feet snuck about, the only one awake. Anyone with good hearing could've detected the sounds of someone lifting a suitcase up and carefully taking it to the door.

As a metal hand enclosed around the knob, golden eyes flickered back to the sleeping forms on the beds. Slowly, they passed over each face sticking out from under the covers, looking at them and forever imprinting the memory in his mind.

Ed's heart swelled with regret and pain, tempering with the anticipation he felt. It hurt to be torn in half, but his decision was final.

He was going home. Tonight.

"Thanks guys..." The alchemist breathed, before slipping silently out the door.

Once outside, Ed leaned against the wall for a moment, sighing and breathing in and out slowly as he calmed himself.

He hurt inside; not just from leaving, but from what happened earlier. Already, he regretted saying anything to Kisa. But still, somehow, it was reassuring to him, knowing he wasn't leaving behind a broken heart. He could move on, somehow, when he got home. Maybe try to relight the spark that once was his affection for Winry.

...No. As much as he cared for Winry, she just couldn't-it was stupid to think like that. He wouldn't use Winry as a rebound. It was something that would have to happen on it's own rather than just his need for someone to fill the void of his empty heart.

_'That's why I really think you should tell her how you feel. Who knows, she might actually surprise you.'_

_"You were wrong, Kakeru..."_ Ed straightened up, and started down the hall towards the elevator. He'd check out at this time and wait for the bus. He just hoped that the trains back to Shigure's house would be empty. _"You were wrong..."_

As he passed a room, the door suddenly opened. He tensed, but then relaxed when a small, familiar hand grabbed his sleeve.

He turned, slowly, to look into sad, dark eyes, sighing softly and feeling terrible when he noticed the tear tracks streaking her cheeks. She'd clearly been up for a while, waiting for him to leave.

"I..." He just shut his mouth when Akito slipped out of her room and latched onto him tight, obviously scared of letting go of him for good.

"I-I...I..." She mumbled, nuzzling her face into his chest. "Thank you...thank you for everything..."

"You're welcome..." He mumbled. There really wasn't much more he could say. He knew how thankful she was to him, and likewise, how thankful he was to her. "Stay strong...and you'll be OK, alright? Even when I'm in a different world. You're strong Akito, and even when I'm gone, you'll be OK."

"Y-yes..." The Zodiac 'god' pulled back, wiping her tears before managing a quivering smile. "I'll be OK..."

"Take care of them," Ed told her gently. "All of them."

"I will." She hugged him one last time, and Ed felt her head turn slightly, a soft mouth pressing itself to his cheek.

He felt no tension at this, no awkwardness, the kind that sparks something between two people who have hidden feelings for one another, only relaxation. This was a gesture of familial love, even respect, like a small girl kissing her father goodbye as he left on a trip to bring home money to provide for his family. That was what was between them. Something that he felt towards Akito. Her heart belonged to someone else, but she would always, always remember him.

And likewise, he would remember this insecure but slightly gender-confused girl.

He ran his fingers through her short, messy, black tresses before pulling back and smiling wearily at her.

"Goodbye, Otou-san." She murmured. "I won't forget you."

"I won't either." He ruffled her hair affectionately one last time before slowly turning to walk down the hall. "Goodbye..."

He could feel those eyes on him as he walked down the hall towards the next corner, before the door behind him opened and shut once more.

He was too caught up in his thoughts to hear another set of footsteps, muffled by the carpet, following behind him.

XXXXXX

Her mother would be disappointed in her for eavesdropping again, but Tohru really didn't have time to think about that, really.

The brunette's mind had drawn a blank as she listened to their words; sad, sobbing, filled with regret and happiness.

She just wished what they actually said wasn't true.

So that's why Ed took them here. That's why he'd been spending so much time with them. He was leaving, going home. She could figure that much out.

Tohru was too shocked to cry, and was jolted out of her stupor when the sound of Akito walking back into her room reached her ears. She turned her head to see the last bit of Ed's suitcase disappearing behind the corner.

_'It's not like I'm gonna' disappear forever...'_

Without really thinking, the brunette started after him on quiet, swift feet, the fabric of her pajamas just barely making a noise at the pace she walked. Uo and Hana wouldn't miss her, since they were sleeping; she'd gone out in the middle of the night, thirsty, to get some fresh ice and partially still pretty wide-awake from the magnificent fireworks display earlier.

She followed from a set distance, close enough so that she wouldn't lose him (It was pretty obvious where he was headed, though) and far enough so that if he did hear her, he'd think it was just some night owl up and about, too excited to be hear to sleep.

She took the stairs to the lobby when he took one of the two elevators, not trusting the timing of the dual transports. They could land on the ground floor at the same time.

Tohru didn't like to snoop, or follow people in discretion. If it was somebody's private business, she wouldn't pry. It was rude. But she didn't want Ed to leave without saying goodbye to him. It was a selfish thing to want, but she'd never cease wanting to stop him from going, nor stop regretting that she didn't try to stop him, unless she said goodbye.

The door to the lobby from the harshly-lit stairwell opened with a loud creak as she emerged. The vast hall was practically empty, save for a few foreigners, slumped in the cushy and soft chairs, whose planes and other forms of transport had obviously arrived late at night in Japan. They looked exhausted, but happy to be in this place, made possible by a genius cartoonist.

Ed was at the reception counter, obviously checking out. He looked somber, his eyes sad as he was handed some kind of special offers package for another trip if he wished to return. He simply thanked the tired-looking woman before heaving up his suitcase and starting towards the lavish doors to the bus stop outside the hotel.

Tohru waited until he disappeared through the doors, glancing at the Cinderella-styled clock above the lobby entrance. 1:50 A.M. She didn't know when he was leaving, or if his mode of transportation was already outside. She had to hurry, nonetheless.

Trying to look casual (As casual as someone could get walking through a vastly empty hallway in pajamas, and possibly giving any weary traveler in there the impression of her being one who suffered from insomnia) Tohru crossed the pristine, clean floor towards the doors, and hoping to the heavens that Ed hadn't gone yet.

Ed was still there. As the automatic doors slid open, he didn't glance back, he just had his gaze fixed on the clear, starry sky, sitting on the stone steps leading to the entrance. He was waiting with a quiet patience that was a bit disturbing. Normally, at a bus stop, he'd get antsy and rant about how slow the drivers were.

The orphaned brunette didn't really have any clue what she was going to say to him, or how she was going to reveal herself to him. She stood there, like a silent statue watching over someone. She breathed in and out slowly, not sure if she could trust her voice to speak.

The light filtering from the glass doors to the lobby cast her shadow far from her actual form, down the concrete steps and onto the asphalt road. Ed seemed to have noticed it before a few minutes had passed. Slowly, his body turned around.

Tohru suddenly had the impression of a child being caught red-handed with his fingers in the cookie jar. The tension was obviously coming from him as he stared at her with wide, golden eyes. She felt relaxed, but sad. She took a deep breath, before her eyes glanced to the ground.

"There's...ummm...some leftovers in the fridge at home if you get hungry, before you..."

Ed clearly didn't know what to say at first, but it was obvious to Tohru that he was putting the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together. She glanced up in time to see his eyes dart away, and sigh softly.

"Y-yeah, thanks..."

Not saying another word, Tohru just sat down next time him on the steps, staring up at the sky. A long, quiet silence passed between. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him open and close his mouth several times, as though his voice was just broken and he tried to get it work.

It wasn't long after their short exchange did she see headlights down the road, heading down to the front of the hotel. Tohru took a deep breath, mustered up all her courage and strength, turned to him and smiled.

"Well, this is it, then." She told him. He just looked at her. "Take care, and...I hope you have a safe trip."

"Actually, Tohru..." Ed seemed to struggle with words. "Could you...would you, ummm, well, c-come home with me?"

"Huh?"

The bus pulled to a stop before them, the doors swinging open. Ed stood up, getting his suitcase and looking at her.

"I-I..." She swallowed. Whatever he wanted to say to her, it must be important. "I will."

Ed smiled briefly at her, helping her to her feet. He didn't let go of her hand as she guided her onto the bus.

It was empty except for them and the tired looking driver, whose exhaustion seemed to vanish suddenly when Ed handed him a thick wad of cash. Their bus driver pocketed it and started the bus up. Tohru stuck close to Ed as they chose seats next to one another.

The lights of Tokyo shown in the distance, far away and illuminating the night sky orange. Silence stretched between them as the bus rode down the near-empty highways, since they were the only one's traveling this late at night. Tohru was comfortable in the quiet, but she could see Ed try to speak again, and fail. It was around the time they passed under the lavish welcome sign did the alchemist finally say something.

"L-look, ummm..." He breathed in slowly. "I kinda, well, owe you an explanation."

"Of what?"

"Well, I've actually been planning to leave for a while." Ed admitted. "This all started when Dad found out something about that book. The one that Kisa gave me..."

Tohru listened as they drove into the brightly-lit city of Tokyo, lights nothing more than pretty blurs as Ed told her the happenings of the past few days; Deciphering the book, making preparations, and...his brother.

The brunette was overjoyed to hear that his little brother was alive and well; that Al was waiting for him to come home. Ed, apparently baffled, said nothing more as the bus pulled to a stop before the Tokyo Subway system. She was confused as Ed got up, grabbed his suitcase and pulled her off with them, murmuring a 'thank you' to the bus driver.

"Aren't we gonna' gonna' take the bus?" She asked, feeling extraordinarily out of place before the crowded entrance. Tokyo never really slept, after all, but that didn't mean she would look normal in pajamas and having no shoes.

"That'll take too long." Ed told her, and sighed. "Sorry about your attire; maybe you should've just stayed."

"Well, you wanted me to come, so..." She mumbled, and smiled. "It's OK."

"Yeah, I guess."

Nobody seemed to pay attention to them as Ed purchased them train tickets back to her town, having to shout a bit to be heard over the filled terminal. The trip would take about an hour, and then another half-hour to get home by bus. Tohru wasn't a bit sleepy, though, despite the time being a little after 2 in the morning. Maybe the lights were keeping her up.

The overhead lighting was bright and harsh as they headed into the underground tunnels, heading for the right station. Tohru's feet felt cold against the slick, polished floor. Still, they weren't noted as anything 'abnormal', which made her wonder what kind of weirdos passed through here on a regular basis. Still, the thought of that was enough to make her stick closer to Ed's side as they turned to the entrance to their destination.

Most people were getting off the trains this time at night, ready to head home after a long, long day of working (Night shifts, maybe?), so the train they were boarding was mostly empty save for a few sleeping people. The orphaned brunette, absurdly, wondered if they looked like a brother and sister running away from home. Her in her pajamas and barefeet, Ed with a suitcase.

Ten minutes later, Tokyo was nothing more than a glow on the horizon. Tohru was, somehow, soothed by the gentle shaking of the train and looked out the window behind her. She could see the stars again. It was nice to her eyes after all the lights of the city. The world continued to fly by them, and she watched, contemplating all that Ed had told her.

It wasn't like she didn't want him to go home, but...to think of what life would be like without him, it was strange to not have him in the picture of the future anymore. She should've expected this, prepared herself for this; that he would eventually find a way home and be gone from them.

A yawn broke her thoughts. Tohru turned her gaze from the landscape over to Ed. His mouth was gaping open widely, eyes shut and leaning back in his seat. The alchemist then planted his cheek into the palm of his hand while his elbow sat on his knee. It _was_ nearly 3 in the morning.

She straightened her pose up, and placed a hand on Ed's shoulder. He blinked his gold eyes up at her, blinking as she smiled at him.

"If you're tired, you should rest a bit." She told him, gesturing down at her lap.

Very gratefully, it seemed, Ed sank down onto her legs. She giggled wearily as he curled up, and within seconds, was snoring lightly, face lit up by the night sky flashing by them outside.

The obvious amount of stress on his face melted away in a moment, giving way to a smooth expression that calmed her somehow. She began to stroke his messy bangs, trying to savor what little time she had left with this strange boy. He slept on, obviously soothed by the motions. It was hard not to give into following him into slumber, and she nearly nodded off once or twice.

Time seemed to slow down for her, as that train took them both home. Again and again the past few months played through her mind; happy memories that she cherished. Happy times and sad times, they were all treasures. She didn't want to forget them.

She didn't want him to forget them, either.

The brunette wasn't aware that she was crying silently, and had been for a while now, until the train began to slow. The tired-sounding driver of the train announced the stop over an intercom; their stop.

Tohru wiped at her eyes, looking down at Ed. He was still snoozing peacefully. For a moment, she bizarrely considered not waking him, so he could get some more sleep and she could prolong his return, but then that would be just rude.

With a sigh, she laid a hand on his shoulder, gently shaking it.

"Ed-san..." She whispered softly. "Ed-san, we're here."

He moaned softly, turning over on his back and blinking his soft gold eyes open. They looked bleary and unfocused. Ed stared at her for a moment.

"...Mom...?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Uh..." He seemed to fully awaken, and sat up. "We there?"

She nodded slowly, trying not to look let down. Ed slid off her lap, grabbing his suitcase in one hand and Tohru's hand in the other. They exited the train.

The station was completely empty, which somehow soothed Tohru. Not too many people traveled to their city this time of night. She was silent as Ed led her out of the subway and outside to the city, not as brightly lit as Tokyo.

Nobody on the streets either, but there was another bus waiting for them out in front. Tohru knew the way home from here, though. She remained silent as the alchemist handed another bundle of money to the driver, who nodded slightly, letting Ed and Tohru find a spot to sit, before driving off.

Ed's lack of something to say unnerved her some. He was never usually this quiet. She could see it in his eyes, focused on the floor and brimming with such pain.

There was something else eating at him, and Tohru knew it wasn't just him leaving. Why did he have to leave in this state?

No words were spoken for a good while as the bus pulled up to Shigure's house. Tohru was painfully aware of each second passing as they climbed off the bus. She automatically took Ed's hand as he guided her to the house. She wasn't even bothered by the rocks on the ground digging into the flesh of her feet.

The house seemed gloomy, clearly knowing it was about to lose a part of the family who lived here, when they walked in, dark and smelling like stale air. Tohru turned on a few lights, but the glow from the lamps and overheads was harsh and somewhat lifeless.

"I'm...gonna' go get a few things from upstairs." Ed said, stepping out of his shoes. Tohru nodded slightly, and let him pass her to the steps.

In a somber state, she wandered to the kitchen, and pulled out varying ingredients that had been preserved by the cold of the fridge. Her hands seemed to move across the cutting boards and knives and rice cooker by themselves; autopilot running as she tried to organize her reeling thoughts.

Time seemed to slow, somehow prolonging the moment when Ed would come downstairs and speeding up her cooking. She was thankful for this mysterious occurrence, and didn't think too much on it as she put the finishing touches on the bento box she had prepared.

The footsteps coming down the stairs were harsh noises to her ears. Ed appeared in the doorway with a knapsack, looking at her with such sadness on his face Tohru felt like crying.

"L-let's go..." He mumbled, and turned around towards the door. Tohru followed him in silence, her heart swelling when Ed reached down to the small shrine in the living room, pulling out the urn that held his father's ashes. She didn't comment as he slipped it into his knapsack.

Tohru carried her two items with her as they walked out of the house, heading into the woods behind it. She walked this path once, when it was storming and there was lightning and rain. And blue light. That day brought them a new family member, and this, with clear, starry summer skies at 3 in the morning, would be the day they lost one.

She took care not to trip over anything as they head to the same clearing from that first night. The circle was not glowing, but it was etched into the dirt and slightly different. Ed stopped shortly at it's edge.

"Well...this is it..." He breathed, and turned around to face her. The smile on his face was genuine, which made her eyes burn. She swallowed, and stepped forward, holding out her objects to him.

"H-here..." She mumbled, dropping her arms when Ed took them. "It's for when you get home, if you're hungry..."

Ed silently slipped the bento box into his bag, and looked over the other object.

"What's this?" He opened the small book, and his eyes widened at it's contents.

"I...wanted you to have that." Tohru breathed, her voice cracking. "I-I...don't want you to forget us...and I don't want to forget you either, but..."

She wanted him to remember, which was why she gave him the album of their times with him, and of the photo's of his father.

The next thing she was aware of was the feel of two arms around her, holding her close to the blonde alchemist. There was water dripping into her somewhat messy hair, and soft sobs beside her ear.

"Tohru...T-Torhu..."

The tears she'd been holding back for over two hours finally fell from her eyes, and her arms weakly lifted to wrap around his middle.

"T-thank you...so much f-for everything..." There was so much emotion in his voice.

"I-I..." She didn't know what to say.

"I don't know...where I'd be without you..." Ed's voice was so broken. "You just...you've done so much for me, a-and you took care of me when I needed someone, a-and you healed me..."

"But I..."

"You're...practically my mother..." This caught her off guard, and made her cry all the more. "Just...I-I don't know, you just...you're just so...so..."

"Ed-san..." She mumbled. "I'll miss you..."

"I will too...y-you've done so m-much for me. You've cried for me, you've healed me when I-I needed someone, you've accepted me...I just..." He trailed off into soft sobs.

Tohru and Ed held each other as they cried for their impending separation, in the cool summer night before the circle that would take him away from her forever. She loved Ed, as a friend, as a brother, as apart of her family. Life without him was gonna' be hard.

It felt like forever, and only a few minutes, before Ed pulled away, wiping at his eyes. He looked like a mess, but his eyes shown with it's old fire as he slipped the album into his knapsack.

"T-take care of everyone, OK?" He asked, and Tohru nodded, managing a watery smile.

"I will...I'm so happy for you, you know?"

"Thanks..." They hugged, one final time, before Ed walked away from her to the middle of the circle. He turned to her again and looked at her, the gaze long and filled with pain and regret, before clapping his hands. The echo seemed to last forever. He placed them onto the ground, and the circle erupted with light and life.

The electric blue storm swirled around them, and small, black hands sprung from the circle, reaching out at nothing.

Tohru then found herself in a bright, white world, endless and empty. Before her was a magnificent gate, made of stone and covered in figurines. Ed stood before it unflinchingly. The double doors, strewn with intricate symbols, opened, and many eyes peered out at them, before the hands reached out, heading for Ed.

He turned to look at her one last time, and smiled.

She smiled back, tears pouring down her face.

The hands grabbed him, covering him and pulling him away, away, away from her, to the black emptiness inside The Gate.

The doors shut with a bang.

Then there was the forest again.

Just the trees, the transmutation circle, and Tohru.

And the lingering memories of an alchemist who had enchanted their lives.

XXXXXX

_"Three o'clock in the morning;_

_It's quiet and there's no one around,_

_Just the bang and the clatter_

_As an angel runs to the ground..._

_Just the bang and the clatter_

_As an angel hits the ground"_

XXXXXX

**Disney Ambassador Hotel, 9:30 A.M...**

Shigure's ears were filled with the sounds of Haru and Momiji calling out for Ed, through the halls of the hotel, as he packed up with Akito.

According the his roommates, Ed was not in his bed this morning, neither was his suitcase. Tohru was gone, too, yet her luggage was there. This had Uo and Hana on a rampage throughout the hotel looking for her, and the boys on a hunt for Ed.

He could see that Akito was very somber this morning, and that worried him. She wasn't saying much at all, and always seemed to tense whenever Ed was brought up. Shigure had his theories, and he didn't like them one bit.

"It doesn't make any sense." Yuki sighed a bit later, as they hauled their baggage downstairs. "Why would those two just...leave? And right before we were leaving the next day."

"Maybe an emergency popped up." Shigure said, lifting his suitcase onto the cart provided. The hotel lobby wasn't that crowded, since most people were already out and about at the parks.

"Then why wouldn't Honda-san tell her friends that-"

"Shigure-oji-chan?" Came a quiet voice behind them. The Dog turned around to see Kisa, looking anxious. There was also a very obvious blush on her face. He smiled reassuringly at her.

"Yes, what is it, Satchan?" Shigure asked kindly. Kisa fidgeted.

"H-Has anyone seen Ed yet? I need to talk to him...about something..." Her voice trailed off into an embarrassed mumble. Shigure pat her shoulder gently.

"I'm sorry, but no. We think he might've gone home with Tohru-kun." She sighed, and nodded slightly.

"OK..." Yuki watched her as she walked back towards the elevator, feeling deflated.

"Where could they have gone?" Shigure didn't respond, instead staring after Kisa with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Well, I'd say that's a first."

"A first for what?"

"Kisa's never called Ed-kun by his name before."

Yuki opened, his mouth, then shut it. He blinked in confusion.

That certainly _was_ odd.

Later, Shigure stood before the check-out clerk, who informed him that Ed had already checked out but not Tohru.

His suspicions were then confirmed, and he ended up staying as quiet as Akito was as their bus pulled into the front, ready to take them home.

XXXXXX

**Shigure Sohma's house, 11:30 A.M...**

"Tohru!" Kyo called into the house as they walked in. "Ed! Hey, anyone home?"

Shigure and Yuki trailed in after him, along with Kisa, who had asked to come back with them. The others had gone home to the Sohma estate, and Uo, Hana, and Megumi had been dropped off first.

"Honda-san!" Yuki started down the hall, and turned towards the living room, stopping.

Tohru was at the table, sleeping with her head buried into her arms. She was still dressed in her pajamas from when they'd gone to bed last night.

It was Kisa who broke the confused silent, walking past the older men to her dear Onee-chan, placing her hands on her shoulder and shaking her awake.

"Onee-chan?"

Tohru blinked awake, moaning softly. The Tiger watched worriedly as she lifted her head and yawned. Her soft blue eyes focused on Kisa, and said girl noticed the red stains in them. She'd been crying.

"K-Kisa?"

"Tohru, why'd you come back here?" Kyo asked, peering past Shigure to walk over to her. "We were worried that you and Ed-oh hell..."

Kyo trailed off when Tohru started crying again, quickly dropping to her side and rubbing her shoulder. Kisa couldn't cut off the unknown feeling of dread in her stomach. It was something she should be realizing, but didn't know what.

"O-Onee-chan..." Kisa breathed. "Where's Ed...?"

Tohru's eyes looked awful when they turned to her. She sniffled, and then dropped to her arms.

"Ed-san's...gone..."

A long, tense silence passed after her words, only broken by Tohru's hitched sobbing.

"G-gone...?" Yuki repeated, eyes wide.

"Yes...h-he left...he went home..." Tohru told them, her voice barely above a whisper.

"B-but..." Kyo looked like he could hardly believe it. "W-when...how...?"

Tohru explained, her words just tearing them up more than ever. Shigure sighed, looking stressed.

"Well...it was expected, I guess..." He said. "It's not like he was gonna' be around forever..."

"We all knew this day would arrive, but..." Kyo trailed off, looking towards the wall as though it was something that could distract him from his thoughts. He chuckled, and a bitter smile crossed his face."I didn't think that it'd be so hard to accept."

"Mmmm..." Yuki sat at the table then, taking Tohru's hand. "We'll miss him..."

"Yes..."

Kisa hadn't said a word, or even made a noise. Her gaze was fixed on the ground.

"Satchan?"

Without any warning, she stood up stiffly, marching towards the hall. There was the sound of the door opening, and then shutting closed softly.

Tohru stared after her, at an absolute loss for words.

"She's taking this the hardest..." Kyo sighed. "They were so close..."

Tohru couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this.

She just hoped she was wrong.

XXXXXX

**The Main House of the Sohma's, 12:30 N...**

"Wha..." Kagura could only stare at the doorway in which Kisa disappeared. "What...does she mean...?"

"He's gone?" Momiji's normally sunny face looked blank.

There was simply no time to comprehend it. Kisa just walked in as they were sorting out their luggage, Rin asked where Ed was, and she just said he was gone. Without another word, the Tiger vanished into her room.

Haru, emotion appearing on his face, was clearly the first to understand it fully.

"He found a way." He breathed, and everyone else looked at him. "He found a way home."

"But..." Kagura asked meekly. "But why didn't he-"

"-say goodbye?" The Rabbit finished.

"He did." Rin had finished pulling her suitcase from the messy pile. "He did say goodbye, during the trip. All the fun, the food, the money, everything. That trip was his way of saying goodbye."

"But...he still didn't..."

It didn't sop Momiji from crying. And it certainly didn't stop Kagura from breaking the nearest door down in her frustration and grief.

XXXXXX

She messed up. She really messed up.

Kisa didn't bother even beginning to unpack. She didn't have the strength to, neither the willpower. The Tiger just flopped down on her bed and curled up into a tiny ball. Her room was dark and cold after a week of nobody inhabiting it, but she didn't really care.

It was obvious, why Ed left. Tohru said that he knew his brother was alive and waiting for him on the other side, but...

But was she the one who helped him make that decision final?

Probably. She'd pushed him. He'd offered a gift, a gift only one person could ever receive.

And she'd rejected it. She'd pushed it away, right at his moment of absolute weakness.

The tears had begun to fall the moment she stepped out of Shigure's house, and hadn't stopped since.

She felt trapped in the dark; in her own grief for losing someone she loved and for hurting that person. It was her fault he was gone.

_"I hurt him oh god I didn't mean to why did I do that oh god I'm so sorry why can't I take it back?"_

She couldn't.

That opportunity was gone. It was just gone.

Ed was gone.

Gone.

XXXXXX

"You OK?" Haru glanced up from his blank staring at the garden wall towards the sound of his girlfriend's voice. Rin stood there, looking at him in concern. The Ox sighed.

"It's weird. I'm usually asking you that." There was the swish of fabric as Rin sat down beside him. The cool evening air was somewhat soothing to the burning feeling of loss that he felt.

"It's just...you seemed out of it when Kisa said that." Rin sighed. She wasn't good with other people's emotions, but for Haru, she would always make an exception.

"I know..." Haru mumbled in that monotone voice, but it was tinged with grief. "I just lost my best friend, you know?"

"Momiji did, too." Rin reminded him. "He's with Kagura; they're both crying right now."

"Makes me wonder if I should be." Haru looked at the sky. Clear, with the first stars showing up.

"I can't really imagine you crying, Haru." The Horse told him, leaning against his side.

"I just..." He sighed through his nose, winding an arm around her waist. "I feel angry, and sad, and happy for Ed-kun, all in one annoying bundle that's rolling around in my stomach."

"I felt that way too..." Rin admitted. "When I broke up with you."

They sat in silence for another good ten minutes, before The male Zodiac Member spoke up again.

"Rin?"

"Hmmm?" He squeezed his eyes shut.

"You won't leave me too, will you?"

Rin turned, and nestled her face in the crook of his neck. This was the for the sole purpose of blinding herself to the single droplet of water falling down her boyfriend's cheek.

"No, never again."

It had taken the actions of an alchemist to make those words possible.

XXXXXX

**One week later...**

After the initial shock of losing a close friend wore off, the group sort of drifted apart from each other to grieve on their own, the suddenness of their loss putting them into a state of quiet. They sulked about it, but seemed to understand.

And Akito knew Ed would be happy to know that they understood. That they didn't hate him for his decision.

The Zodiac 'god' now stared outside her window to the garden, in contemplation. The afternoon light shown brilliantly onto the ponds and grass, bathing it in golden light.

It had been a week since she'd said goodbye to Ed, in that plush carpeted hallway covered with three-circled designs that the world knew so well. She'd kept to herself during that time, thinking.

This certainly wasn't like when she'd lost Akira, no, when she lost her father, that was when her thoughts began to spiral down to a dark world. His words made her cling desperately to something that wasn't even set in stone, and still she didn't want to let go of.

Ed? He'd given her hope. Hope that she could start forward again. Not start over, but at least gradually move to a better place. It was a transition from one bad part of life to a more forgiving one. To do that, she had to do something; something that may not get the desired result.

And she was scared. No, terrified.

"How long are you gonna' keep avoiding me?"

Akito tensed painfully when that voice rang out from behind her. She slowly turned around. There he stood, at her doorway looking frustratingly calm...and attractive. Curse female hormones.

"What do you mean?" She asked, glaring slightly, but her heart was racing. Just say it, just say it, just say it and mean it and then you can move on.

"You've hardly said a word to me since Ed left." Shigure said, shutting the door behind her. "But it's hardly surprising, the way you depended on him."

Akito had to bit her tongue to keep herself from retorting. She knew full well that Shigure didn't like sharing, and she had a feeling that, despite the fact that he owed Hohemheim to take care of Ed, he didn't want to share her with the alchemist either.

Thank God Ed had never seen _that_ side of him.

"Yeah..." She looked away, back out the window and rested her head in her arms. "I've just...been thinking."

"Penny for your thoughts, then?" Shigure asked.

"Why do you want to know?" She sighed through gritted teeth. Why was this so hard?

"I'm a curious person by nature." The Zodiac Dog told her. "As far as I can see, you depended on Ed to keep you moving. And now that he's gone...what will you do now?"

Say it. Say it, just say it and then the begging will be easier.

Swallowing her pride, she turned and looked Shigure fully in the eye.

"I'm sorry."

He raised an eyebrow. "What for?"

"For..." She collected herself. "Sleeping with Kureno."

There. She said it. Now she could either hope for acceptance or wait for rejection.

"You are, are you?"

"Yes." She glanced away once more. "I'm sorry I kicked you out, I'm sorry I hurt you, and I'm Goddamn sorry I wasn't good enough for you!"

Shigure didn't move. He had that strange, contemplative look on his face once more. This was his darker side; one that usually had Akito into a raging fit. She couldn't stand to look at it now.

"Well then..." Shigure sighed, still staring at her. "I'm sorry, too..."

That caught her off guard. Hopeful, she glanced up.

"Ah..."

"I'm sorry I slept with Ren, I'm sorry I teased you about a lot of things, and I'm sorry I hurt you."

She stood, eyes wide. "R-really?"

Akito had to fight a smile when he nodded, but couldn't defeat the blush.

"I'm a selfish person." Shigure admitted, crossing the room to stand in front of her. "I don't like sharing, not even with Ed-kun. When I don't get what I want, I tend to act childish. I don't stop until I get what I want"

"You certainly did." She muttered, glancing away. Her gaze returned when his knuckles brushed her cheek.

"So, will you take someone like me back?"

Akito reached up, taking his hand, still caressing her face, into hers.

"I will...if you'll have a fool like me."

"I've waited a long time for this fool to come back to me..." Shigure leaned down, and likewise, Akito leaned up. "I've missed you..."

This may not be a huge step in the right direction, but it was a step nonetheless.

One she had made herself.

XXXXXX

**Kaibara Public High School, 5:00 P.M...**

"Why does the paperwork always pile on when summer vacation's about to arrive?" Kakeru groaned from where he had his arms buried in his face, flat on the table and not doing said paperwork. Nao, being the pessimist, sighed and finished filing things away.

"Because that's when we have to start planning for all the event's next year-"

"That was a rhetorical question." He groaned. Yuki sighed. Another day at the backwards hell known as student council, another day he would flail when he would try to ask Machi something.

Why was this so hard? Why had everything become so hard now that Ed was gone? Maybe because he'd lost a support pillar?

Still...

Yuki opened his mouth, and then shut it when the student council members began packing up their things. A slightly shaky finger touched the gift inside his bag as though hoping he could draw reassurance from it. He could do this.

"Machi, I-"

"HE'S ABOUT TO CONFESS HIS INNERMOST FEELINGS!" Kakeru proclaimed suddenly, shoving himself between Yuki and the silent Machi, the former immediately bashing him across the head.

"STOP MAKING ASSUMPTIONS!"

"Kimi wants to know if Yun-Yun has innermost feelings!" Kimi added, giggling.

"I DON'T!"

"You do, you're just in denial."

Yuki opened his mouth to retort, and then noticed that Machi had gone in the midst of the chaos.

"Oh, too late."

"Kakeru, I am going to rain down pain and misery on you." Yuki growled.

"Oooh, I'm so scared-OW OW! OK, SORRY!"

"Good." The Zodiac Rat released his grip on Flying-Pot-kun's ear and then finished packing.

"Well, I'd love to stick around, but Kimi has a date with a new boyfriend."

"Boyfriend number 105 this year!" Kakeru cheered, marking on something in a notebook.

"You've been keeping track?" Nao asked in shock.

Yuki tuned out Kakeru's next flamboyant bout' of talking in favor of leaving the room. Machi was walking down the hall, looking a bit flustered. Swallowing his fear and desire to run away, he hurried forward.

"Machi! Hey!"

She stopped, and turned around to face him, a blush evident.

"O-oh, President, what's up?"

"Ummmm..." OK, he had her where he wanted, now what? "W-well..."

"Yes?"

"Do you...have any plans for the evening?"

"...No?"

Yuki blushed. This was a lot harder than he thought.

"Ummmm..." He took a deep breath. "?"

"What?" Machi repeated.

"Want to go...get something to eat...together?"

This was so hard. Asking her on a date and trying not to make it look like he was doing that. It still looked like he was asking her.

Machi, who had a deeper blush growing on her face by the second, nodded slowly. "Y-Yes..."

He couldn't keep a smile off his face then. "Alright then..."

The silence was a tad awkward as they started out of the school. Yuki struggled with the urge to hold her hand as she walked next to him. He was trying to take this slow; something like that may be a bit too forward.

It was the resteraunt that Uo used to work at that they ended up at. Quaint, small, and not yet crowded with the dinner rush. They got a table for two by the window. Yuki thought Machi looked pretty as they sat in the fading light of evening.

"I heard something from Kakeru." Machi commented after ordering their drinks. Yuki blinked. He didn't think she was much of a conversation starter.

"Oh?" Machi looked down at the menu before her, looking contemplative.

"He said Elric-san left."

"Ah?" Now that was confusing. Ed told Kakeru he was leaving (Probably made up something, since neither had any knowledge of where Ed really was from)? When? He couldn't help but feel a bit betrayed.

"Mmmm..." Machi nodded. "I guess that explains why you've...been depressed all week."

"Have I?"

"Pretty much."

Yuki fell silent, staring at Machi in curiosity. She noticed he'd been depressed?

...It felt nice to know that someone noticed.

"Well," Yuki sighed, taking his drink from the waiter when he came back. "Yeah, he left. Last week after we went to Disneyland."

"You miss him a lot, don't you?"

"I do." The Rat sighed, staring at the carbonated bubbles float to the surface of his soda. "We all do. It's been...lonely without him constantly trying to pound on me."

Machi laughed-she laughs?-slightly. "Bet it's also a bit of a relief, too."

"It is." Yuki admitted. "But more a loss."

"Mmmm..."

They fell into another silence for a bit, this one much more comfortable than the last. Yuki felt at ease, with someone who didn't press or ask too much of him. It was just easy, something that had evaded him for a long time.

He really could get used to being around Machi like this, but he wasn't getting his hopes up.

OK, time for the next move. He did this once, he can do it again.

"Oh, that reminds me," Yuki suddenly broke the fragile silence, reaching down into his bag and pulling out a wrapped package. Machi choked on her Coke, coughing and looking extremely flustered.

"Ah P-President, you didn't-"

"I found it in Disneyland." He told her, handing it to her. She seemed too shocked to take it, so he just set it in front of her. "I did promise you if I found more Mogeta franchise, I'd bring you some."

Very slowly, she opened the Donald Duck patterned box, and pulled out the good sized plushie within.

"..."

"Uh...Machi, you're making the same face as Mogeta."

The girl held it close to her, obviously to hide her blush.

"T-Thank you..."

"You're very welcome."

The sun had set by the time they left the shop, the city colored with night life. Yuki offered to walk her home as they stood outside the shop.

To his surprise, she agreed. And even more so when she took his hand, holding it.

He _really_ could get used to this.

It was thanks to close friend that he had such confidence now.

XXXXXX

**Shigure Sohma's house, 6:30 P.M...**

If there was one thing Kyo enjoyed doing, it was watching Tohru do the laundry. Of course, he always watched from afar, content with seeing her smile as she folded sheets, shirts, pants, all sort of pieces of soft fabric. The clothesline swayed in the evening spring breeze, and with it, the clothes Tohru was taking down from hanging to dry.

He'd been worried about her, lately. Ever since Ed left, she'd been keeping to herself, silent and pensive as she puttered about cooking and cleaning.

As he stood by the doorway, watching her work, he thought she looked lonely. Someone deserving of company during that time of grief and sense of loss.

And so, deciding to break the tranquil but depressing atmosphere, he walked forward.

"Tohru?"

"AH!" She jumped, dropping the soft blue blouse she'd been hanging. It fortunately landed in the laundry basket. He chuckled at that. The way she would so easily be caught off guard was adorable.

"It'd help if you didn't space out so much."

"H-hello Kyo-kun." She stuttered, dropping down to pick the shirt back up. "Sorry, I'll try not to."

"It's OK." The Cat walked up to her as she strung the damp fabric back up. "You've been...spacing out more than usual."

She blinked, and looked up at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

Kyo took a deep breath, looking down at her calmly. "You've just...been so quiet, ever since Ed left."

"Oh..." Damn it, she looked depressed again. That was definitely his fault. "Yes..."

Kyo looked out to the twilit skies above the treetops as Tohru finished hanging the wash out. He wondered what Ed was to her, probably a good friend. Maybe more? He didn't know. All he knew was that Ed had all eyes for Kisa.

But what about Tohru?

"What was...Ed to you?" He asked. Treading waters like that probably a good idea, but he was curious. Curiosity did kill the cat, though.

Tohru looked confused at this question. That spacey look that captivated him long ago and still did. Her eyes dropped to the ground with a sigh.

"He was a friend." She mumbled. Kyo could hear the faintest breaking in her voice. "A really good friend. Before he left, he told me..."

"...told you what?"

"That...he saw me as a mother." She sounded mystified at that revelation, still. Kyo could understand why.

Fighting back his guilt at feeling relieved that Ed only saw her as a maternal figure, he thought about this. For someone who'd been through so many hardships as Ed did, Tohru must've been what she was to the rest of the Zodiac Members; a savior, someone who'd heal the scars of burdens, and someone to always be there with kind words and a plate of sliced pears.

"It's hardly surprising." Kyo commented, causing another puzzled look to cross her face. "You're like that...to a lot of people, you know?"

She shook her head. "I don't feel like that..."

"You are." He thought to himself. "More than you realize."

"...if feels like I've been left behind again." She suddenly mumbled, and then it was Kayo's turn to look confused.

"What?"

She took a deep breath, fiddling with her hands. The cracking in her voice made his heart want to tear itself in half. "Mom left me behind...when she died, a-and now...Ed-san's gone..."

It was amazing how Kyo could just stand there and listen to her talk about her mother, who's death he was responsible for. Even though the pain wasn't as harsh as before, he still blamed himself.

And it was thanks to people like Ed did he even begin to hope he could move past it.

He moved forward quickly, enveloping her in a hug. That one second it took between transformations seemed to last a millennium before the out-of-body sensation happened.

The poof echoed out into the trees, and the clothes fell from his cat body in a heap. Tohru stuttered, shocked by his change, but managed to keep a grip on him so that he didn't fall to the ground with his attire.

"I know it's hard." He sighed, and gave himself the pleasure of curling up in her arms. "I miss that shrimp, too."

"I'm just happy, y'know? That I got to say goodbye..."

"I'm sorry..." He mumbled, and Tohru held him close to her. He let out a purr, something that felt really weird but was definitely appropriate for the situation.

He was sorry for a lot of things; her mother, being a jerk to her at first, some things he may have screwed up on, but he was going to try to move past that.

He wasn't going to let that hold him back anymore.

Seeing Ed face up to his past, which was far worse than his own, gave him courage. Maybe he could learn to forgive himself, even if the Cat's supposed to be lowly and blamed for everything. He would work on rising up from it all.

Even if, one day, Tohru found out about his involvement with her mother's death, he could probably face it, say he was sorry, and knowing her, he'd be forgiven. Because that was what she was like.

And even if he transformed whenever she held him, he could work past that.

Kyo Sohma was not going to be held back by a painful past anymore.

XXXXXX

**One week later...**

It's while she was about to prepare dinner did Tohru get a call.

Wiping her hands on a towel to rid them of the moisture of washing her hands, she walked out of the kitchen and towards the ringing phone in the hall.

Yuki, who'd been playing Old Maid with Shigure and Kyo, got to it first. Tohru was about to turn back to the kitchen when the Rat pulled it from his ear.

"It's for you, Honda-san." He said as she took it from him.

"Hello?"

"Honda-kun?"

"Oh, Hatsuharu-san." She hadn't spoken to the Ox since Ed left. "What's going on?"

There was a pause, and Tohru could practically hear him chew over some words.

"Could you...come over here for a bit? I need "

"Ummmm...I-I'm about to start cooking, but-"

"It's sort of an emergency." Haru told her. She could pick up the worry in his usually monotone voice. "Kisa hasn't said a word to anyone since Ed left, or hell, hardly come out of her room."

"Oh..." It was hardly surprising, since Ed was gone. Tohru was suddenly a lot more worried than she probably should be. "I-I'll be right over."

"Thanks." The Ox hung up, and the brunette put the phone down.

"What did Haru want?" Yuki asked.

"He says Kisa-san won't come out of her room." Tohru sighed. "She must really be sad..."

The Rat looked like he knew a lot more about this than she did, but didn't comment as Tohru put on her shoes. She went to the front door and outside. The warm, late spring evening air would soon give way to summer heat. Something she was looking forward to.

"I'll come back and prepare dinner as soon as I can." Tohru promised Yuki, who nodded.

"I guess I can coo-"

"Yuki, I will be strung up by my feet from a tree and left to die before I allow you to cook again." Shigure remarked in a sing-song voice from inside.

"Or not."

XXXXXX

**Sohma Estate, 7:30 P.M...**

"She's in here." Haru said, stopping in front of Kisa's room. Now a welcome guest to the estate, Tohru was free to come and go to visit her Zodiac friends at will. She tentatively raised her hand and knocked on the wood.

"Kisa-san?"

There was no response for a minute, which brought Tohru back to a few weeks previous, when Ed lost his father. At least the door was still there.

"...yes?"

Tohru shivered at the sound of the Tiger's voice ringing from the other side of the wooden door, and took a deep breath.

"Can I come in?"

Again, silence. Tohru heard the sound of Haru's footsteps heading the other direction, before a weak sound came from the Tiger. Access was granted.

She opened the door slowly, unsure of entering even though she'd been given the go-ahead. The room was dark, the only source of brightness coming from the twilit sky outside her window.

The Tiger was facing that pane of glass, sitting on her bed with her knees drawn up to her chest and in her nightclothes. She spared Tohru a brief glance before looking away.

"Hi..."

"Kisa-san..." Tohru walked to her usually quiet and withdrawn friend, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her. She looked terrible. "What's wrong?"

Kisa didn't respond, instead buried her face into her legs.

"O-Onee-chan..." She whispered. "W-was Ed...angry, when he left?"

"No..." Tohru told her gently, rubbing her shoulder. She realized that Kisa wasn't calling him 'Onii-kun' anymore, and that scared her. "He wasn't. He was sad."

The Zodiac Member said nothing, but Tohru could see that she was trying to compose herself.

"Why didn't...w-when did...I-I mean..." She was struggling with words. "W-would he have stayed if I'd realized sooner...if I'd told him?"

Tohru opened her mouth, and then closed it. "What are you talking about?" Kisa didn't seem to hear her.

"I hurt him..." She sounded like she was confessing to a crime. "H-he said he...and then I...but then, when I-I got back to t-the hotel..."

Tohru stayed quiet as she stuttered, slowly deciphering what she was trying to get out. She felt scared for her friend all of a sudden.

"K-Kisa-san..."

"Why didn't I see it?" She asked to herself, apparently. Her head lifted just enough for Tohru to see the tears. Kisa sounded sad, angry, pained, and just so dead. "Why didn't I realize sooner? Was it just...that hard to see, or because I just...?" She swallowed, and then squeezed her eyes shut as more tears poured from her eyes..

"W-why...why didn't I see...that I'd fallen in love with him?"

Tohru moved to hold her as the sobs began, holding her friend close and trying to fight her own tears. The empty feeling of being unable to do anything clenched at her chest as she stayed by Kisa long into the night.

She'd only felt this useless sometime ago, when Kyoko Honda lay on a hospital bed. Gone forever.

Just like Ed.

XXXXXX

_***~Omake time!~***_

_**Regarding the FST**_

_**Envy:**_ Wow, you're evil.

_**Primi-tan:**_ It runs of my family.

_**Shigure:**_ Of course~ There's no bigger troll than writers and mangaka.

_**Ed:**_ Agreed.

_**Momiji:**_ FST IS PRETTY~

_**Primi-tan:**_ Yes, yes. And then there's my recent addiction to Imogen Heap, Daft Punk, and various movie OSTs.

_**Al:**_ So are we going to have lot's of FST's now?

_**Primi-tan:**_ For all my crossover pairing addictions, yes. NOW SILENCE MUSES, FOR I MUST SLEEP BEFORE I PASS OUT!

_**Shigure:**_ Silly girl, muses never shut up~

_**Primi-tan:**_ Gah...well, if anyone's interested in downloading the FST (Fanmade Soundtrack) for EdxKisa, the link to the Mediafire download is in my profile and will remain there. Cover art, front and back, was done by FFN member Kashii Ai (I LOVE YOU SO MUCH GIRL, THANK YOU!) and should be included with the tracks. Just download the ZIP file, extract the music and cover art into another folder, drag and drop the music into your iTunes or whatever music player you have on your computer, and listen in. The FST's order of songs goes in the sequence that is the roller coaster of Ed and Kisa's emotional feelings. Fluffy, then angsty, then a bit fluffy again, angst again and then fluff. Damn those two and their ability to get themselves stuck in crazy entanglement.

_**Kisa:**_ Ah...

_**Ed:**_ HEY!

_**Primi-tan:**_ So, if you wanna' listen to some oddly selected music, download the FST, listen to it, and give me some feedback. I'd really appreciate it to know my efforts didn't go to waste I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH IMMA SHUT UP NAO!

I need consolation chocolate...


	16. Leaving Behind

_**Author's Notes:**_ A lot of things have happened in my life since I posted the last chapter. _Good things_. Obligatory extreme caps lock episode to follow.

This: OWL CITY, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?

This: I HAVE COMMISSIONED KAMDEN TO DRAW ME EDKI LOVE FOR CHARITY. GO CHECK IT OUT WHEN IT SHOWS UP AND THEN GO COMMISSION HER IT'S FOR A GOOD CAUSE PEOPLE GO DO EEEET.

Also this: THERE'S A SUPER-AWESOME NEW MY LITTLE PONY SHOW ON YOUTUBE AND I 'EFFING LOVE THE CHARACTERS AND THE ART AND THE ENTIRE SERIES SJK'FKLHD;JHDS;SFNFJF';FEJ'KJFS;AJKSD

THIS SHOW.

I DON'T EVEN

_THIS. SHOW._

OK, I'm done.

Enjoy the chapter.

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Fruits Basket or Fullmetal Alchemist. Both series rightfully belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei and Hiromu Arakawa-sensei. The scenes that go in sync with the Fruits Basket manga also belong to Natsuki Takaya-sensei. Everything else mentioned belongs to their rightful creators and owners. Plot belongs to me.

_**Inspiration for this chapter:**_ Rhinestone Eyes by Gorillaz, Hallelujah by Rufus Wainwright, Vanilla Twilight by Owl City, Fuzzy Blue Lights by Owl City, Let Go by Frou Frou, and The First Time by U2.

_**Reminders:**_ Welcome to the theater that is my mind. While in the theater, we ask you to please refrain from the following: No smoking, no believing, no noise, no killing, and absolutely NO detection. This is _**"The Alchemist and the Zodiac"**_. Enjoy it with us.

XXXXXX

Chapter 16

Leaving Behind

**Dublith, 3:30 A.M...**

Interdimensional travel was a _bitch_. Those were the words going through Ed's mind at the moment. One minute, he was flying through space and time, in that strange blackness filled with eyes, the next, it spat him out somewhere and his cheek hit some kind of stone floor. He didn't know how much time had passed since The Gate took him away. It could've been minutes, or even a hundred years. Either way, the landing was not fun.

Not how he pictured his return to his own world would turn out.

He was sore from hitting the floor, wherever it was, his eyes still stung from breaking down in Tohru's arms earlier, and his head ached. The knapsack he had taken with him was squished under him, which made him worry that he'd crushed that bento box.

A groan escaped his lips at the pain, before he rolled over on his back, trying to will away the throb in his brain and figure out where the hell he was. There was silence when the crackles of power from a transmutation had died down, not even the sound of anyone breathing.

What he did hear was slow, hesitant, and heavy footfalls, before the rustle of fabric.

He opened his eyes.

Above him was rippling muscle, complete with sparkles, a huge, blonde mustache and tears of joy.

_Definitely_ not the first person Ed wanted to see when he got home.

A scream of terror had barely escaped his lips before he was being smothered in a bone-crushing hug.

"OH EDWARD ELRIC, WELCOME HOME!"

"M-MAJOR-"

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW WORRIED WE'VE ALL BEEN-"

"I CAN'T BREATHE!" He squeaked helplessly from the Major's iron grip. Thankfully, Armstrong released Ed before he could choked to death. Upon staggering to his feet and balancing himself, it was then that he could get a grip on his surroundings.

First of all, he was in a basement. A very large basement that had scorch marks from the transmutation covering the walls. Standing well out of firing range, by the stairs, was his teacher, her husband, and a boy with sandy brown hair, wearing clothes a tad different from the ones Ed wore while in the military, and with brown eyes that were the size of dinner plates.

"...A-Al...?"

"Brother..."

Armstrong stepped back from Ed a ways, obviously sensing the tense but hopeful atmosphere of their reunion. The alchemist could only stare at the boy, who stared back at him.

And then the boy smiled.

Something inside him broke then; maybe it was because he was so relieved that it was _finally_ all over and that the evidence of the fruits of their labors were right in front of him, or maybe it was because he was still teary from parting from Tohru on the other side, or maybe it was because he was just so goddamn tired of crying.

Either way, the dam broke once more.

With a soft whimper, Ed charged. Al let out a shocked squeak before he was pulled into a tight hug.

XXXXXX

Just about ten minutes earlier, Al was up and about the Curtis residence, getting himself something to drink. He couldn't sleep whatsoever. Ed was supposed to be here today, or tomorrow. He just had no idea when. They had created the transmutation circle down in the basement, where there was space and at the same time wouldn't attract the eyes of the military. It had been the one they had been using to look for Ed, so hopefully he would appear there rather than the abandoned city beneath Central.

After that, all they could do was wait.

Armstrong, who had been visiting Al and the Curtis's (A friendship between him and Sid had been forged on account of their awesome muscles), was snoring upstairs, having had an assessment today and invited to the Curtis's for dinner. Al's teacher and her husband were both asleep as well, and the younger Elric found himself wandering the house, trying to stay calm.

As he sipped from his mug of hot cocoa, the dishes in the sink began to quiver. A rumbling sound then followed. The younger Elric set his glass back on the counter, far from the edge, and headed to the basement. Scratch that, he _sprinted_ to the basement, where he found the transmutation circle flashing to life.

It woke the rest of the household, apparently, and the three adults came running downstairs to find the whirlwind of energy and chaos almost swallowing the entirety of the basement.

They couldn't do much but crush themselves to the stairwell as the tornado of alchemic power left scorch marks on the walls and grew larger, before finally, a wormhole opened, and it spat out something roughly around Al's size before disappearing in a flash.

There was silence, before the figure moved and groaned. Al knew that hair, the strange style of clothing, the size, all of it.

That was the last thing he could remember at the moment, because the rest of his thoughts were shorted out by the sight of tears falling from the eyes of his older brother, who was clinging to him as though his life depended on him.

Ed. Was. _Crying_.

Ed _never_ cried.

Al couldn't say anything. He wanted to comfort his brother, but wasn't able to get his body into action. He had to do something, anything!

So he started crying to.

That wasn't helping.

He heard awkward shuffling from the other three adults, but didn't really care. All he could really do was hold onto the only family he had left in this world.

Ed was home.

He had his big brother back.

Before long, Ed composed himself, pulling himself out of his younger brother's embrace and hastily wiping his eyes, sniffling.

"H-Hey Al..."

The younger Elric smiled through his tears.

"Hey, Brother."

"Welcome back, _Ed_." The elder alchemist froze when a dangerous, tight voice broke through their little sob-fest, as did Al. Despite the fact that Al loved his brother dearly and would always protect him from danger, he immediately and swiftly shuffled about 20 feet away when their teacher glared down at the elder Elric.

Ed, sweating uncomfortably, turned slowly to look up at his teacher.

"H-Hi Teacher, so um nice to see you again, um, yeah-"

POW!

The walls of the basement received further damage when the young alchemist went crashing into them, creating an impressive crater and scaring the living daylights out of Al. After he peeled himself from the wall and went crashing to the floor, Ed scrambled up and cowered under the looming figure of his teacher, who was grinning madly and cracking her knuckles.

**(The following beating is censored out for the sake of my readers sanity.)**

"Your teacher has a strange way of showing affection." Armstrong commented to Al as he carried the moaning, bloody pile known as Edward Elric up the stairs and to the kitchen, where he would be patched up.

"Evil...woman..." Ed choked out from Armstrong's grip. Somehow, he was still gripping his satchel tightly.

"Good to have you back, idiot apprentice." Izumi chuckled before pulling out a first aid kit from the cupboard after they seated Ed at the table.

"It seems you've got a story to tell, Ed." Sid remarked as Al patched his brother's wounds up, and only now was he getting a good, long look at Ed.

He sure as hell was taller, but not much taller than Al, it seemed. His hair was longer, tied back in a ponytail and wearing those strange clothes from the other side.

But...there was something different about the older Elric that had Al absolutely confused.

There was _emotion_ on his face. Not fake smiles or strained look's of happiness, _actual_ emotion.

And what Al could see, in addition to happiness, was a guarded look of extreme sadness.

For the past ten days, Al had been fretting over what was bothering Ed about leaving the other side. His hesitation and request for more time was enough to make him worry. It was lessened, somewhat, but not by much. There was something that had Ed in this state of melancholy; bittersweet happiness that was tempering with their reunion.

The younger Elric wanted to wait until they were alone to talk to him about it, since Armstrong and Sid were already pestering Ed about his time on the other side.

"Alright, alright-ow!"

"Sorry, Brother." Al apologize as he tightened a bandage.

And so Ed spun a tale of this alternate world into their minds; a world where alchemy was considered something impossible, instead based on equations and physics that rushed in an age of flying machines, monstrosities of war, something called 'digital' technology, and globalization. The culture of the country he stayed in was rich, the people were overly polite and a lot of food was health orientated, but still, he had found a place to stay while he was there, with a family who was willing to look after him until he found a way home.

He didn't tell them much about the family he stayed with, but he did say a lot about Hohemheim, in which he showed them the man's ashes, and that their father's request was to be buried beside Trisha.

He also showed them the book that had brought him back, which had Izumi immediately pouring over it's contents as he explained the equations and theorems behind it, and settled into place inside Al's mind as he absorbed this new information about alchemy.

The sun was beginning to rise by the time Ed stopped talking. He was red-eyed and weary looking, but still awake, and sipping at a cup of cocoa. The room was silent as they took this in.

"...That's so..."

"Bizarre?" Izumi answered for Armstrong.

"Indeed."

"Yeah, it was pretty weird at first." Ed chuckled, setting his mug aside, apparently trying to stifle a yawn. "But still, it wasn't all bad. Got used to it pretty quick."

Armstrong stepped forward and patted Ed's shoulder, nearly causing the chair to collapse underneath him. "It's good to have you back, Ed. Lot's has happened here in this country since you've been gone."

"What about the Fuhrer?"

"Fuhrer Bradley disappeared the day you did." Izumi told Ed, who snickered slightly.

"I can imagine."

"The Parliament took over." Al added. "They've been trying to form peace treaties with the other countries."

"Then that means we did it, huh?" Ed breathed. "We stopped the Homunculi."

"Indeed you did, Edward Elric." Armstrong agreed, nodding. "We're possibly going to try and destroy that city beneath Central, so nobody ever get's the idea of creating a Philosopher's Stone that way again. And by 'we', I mean myself and several other State Alchemists who were aware of what was going on."

"Sounds like a plan."

A yawn finally broke free from Ed, and Al frowned.

"How long have you been up, Brother?"

"Since yesterday morning." He sounded _exhausted_. His voice was kinda raspy, too, and his eyes were tired.

Far more tired than they would be if he was only sleep-deprived.

"Get some sleep then." Sid told him, gesturing towards the stairs in the hall. Ed nodded slowly, and stood. "We'll check the train schedules and hopefully send you both back to Resembool as soon as we can. You have people waiting for you there, Ed."

Al was helping Ed down the hallway when he turned the corner and bumped into a pajama-clad, tiny child with long, black hair. Ed promptly stopped short, eyes widening.

The Homunculus boy looked shocked at the sight of Edward Elric, and immediately backed several feet away, looking scared.

He had automail limbs underneath those night clothes, and his prosthetic foot clacked against the floor when he stepped. Ed stared at the boy, and Wrath stared right back, looking slightly frightened. It was another few moments before he shuffled awkwardly and looked down.

"Hey..."

"I heard you helped Al find me." Ed said to him, taking a step forward. "Thanks for that."

"N-no problem. Mom wanted you to come back, so..."

Ed smiled in a friendly way towards Wrath, which left Al absolutely baffled. Ed _never_ forgave enemies, especially ones that happened to steal his limbs and then lose them again.

"Thanks for that." He said to Wrath, before ascending the stairs.

Something had _definitely_ changed in his brother, but for the better or the worse was yet to be seen.

XXXXXX

**6 hours later...**

It was to the sound of someone eagerly eating food did Al awaken to. Since both he and his brother had, apparently, been sleep-deprived from staying up all night and the previous day, both collapsed on the same bed upstairs upon reaching it and simply fell asleep without another word, and at one point, Al had turned over and clutched at his big brother's shirt, holding onto it in a vice grip. His hands were still in that position, but there was no shirt for him to be grasping onto.

Now did Al understand that he was laying with his back to the source of his awakening and the sun high in the sky outside. It was noon; lunchtime. His stomach growled in anticipation.

It wasn't helping that he had stirred at the sound of someone eating. Most likely Ed.

Al turned his head over his shoulder, spotting his brother at the desk littered with alchemy books and papers, eating something from a brightly colored box. Looked like a lot of rice and other kinds of food Al had never seen before.

But it smelled _delicious_. The scent drifting over to him was driving his stomach crazy.

The younger Elric sat up, yawning and stretching. Ed turned at the noise, and smiled.

"Hey Al." He held out the box to him. "Hungry?"

"Definitely." Sliding out of bed and straightening his black outfit, he took the fork and stabbed the first thing within reach, which he stuffed into his mouth. Tasted like egg, with some kind of spice. Al let out a hum of appreciation at the burst of flavor.

"It's good!"

"Isn't it?" Ed chuckled, handing Al something that looked like a triangular clump of rice with something stuffed in it's center. "Here's the last of the rice balls."

"Where'd you get this?"

He did not miss the shadow that flickered across Ed's face, but it still vanished within a second.

"A friend gave it to me before I left."

Al blinked, and stared at Ed for a second before biting into the clump of rice, chewing thoughtfully.

"Speaking of which," They were alone, this was the best time to ask. "Why'd you need more time back there? Why couldn't you have just come home with me when I found you again?"

Ed's chewing seemed to pause for a moment, like he was thinking of something to say. He swallowed before speaking.

"I had some loose ends to tie up."

There was truth in his voice, but also a hint of a lie. Ed was always to good liar of the two, but being with him for so long allowed Al to tell when he was fibbing in an instant.

However, before he could get a comment out, there was the sound of Izumi's voice calling for them.

Or rather, her screaming at them to get their asses downstairs before she kicked them all the way to Central.

Al dropped the subject on the spot, favoring to do as his teacher said just to make sure that threat didn't come true. He followed his brother closely as they headed downstairs.

Ed was the first one downstairs, which Al was grateful for, for when he set a single toe on the final stair, Izumi's foot sent him flying.

"You let yourself get WEAK, idiot apprentice!"

"SOOOORRRRYYY!" Ed screamed as he was sent into the kitchen wall. Al, having been living with this housewife for 3 months, was prepared for the foot that went flying at him, and quickly dodged. After managing to survive that with minimal bruises, the younger brother went to peel his older brother from the wall.

"Pathetic!" Izumi snarled at the elder Elric when he was able to see straight again. "Have you been lying around the entire time you've been on the other side?"

"Hell no! I've been trying to find a way back for five months!"

"That's no excuse not to train your body and let it soften!"

"I was living with two guys who'd try to beat me up on a regular basis, of course I trained!"

Al sighed as the two exchanged yells, but smiled.

Despite his worries about his brother, it was good to have him home.

XXXXXX

**3 days later...**

The train was slowly crawling down the tracks, a loud whistling sound alerting everyone that it was leaving the station, right behind it were two boys, both carrying suitcases. With them were two hulking man, a woman and a small boy.

"I told you both you overslept!" Izumi shouted at them, prompting them to run faster.

"HEY! YOU KEPT ME UP ALL NIGHT WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOOK!" Ed retorted, tightening his grip on his baggage before tossing it onto the back of the train.

"JUMP, BROTHER!"

Both Elric boys made a flying leap onto the end of the train, just barely making it onto the railing before swinging on it. Al turned to wave to their teacher, her family, and Armstrong.

"BYE TEACHER! WE'LL COME VISIT AGAIN, SOON!"

"FAREWELL, ELRIC BROTHERS!"

"Bye!" Ed stopped waving when their voices stopped reaching them. He then sighed in relief.

"Maybe now we can get a decent night's sleep, eh Al?" The younger Elric chuckled in response.

"Hopefully."

The walked into the compartment of the train, searching for an empty spot and eventually finding one. Ed sat down, yawning.

"So, we'll stop by Central, I'll officially sign off from the military, give Mustang what's coming to him, and then head back to Resembool to bury Dad."

"Sounds like a plan."

Most of the train ride was silent, with Al reading an alchemy book and constantly looking at his brother, who was snoozing. Occasionally, Al would catch words from him. Some of which were names he'd never heard before. One was most commonly muttered by the elder Elric, but Al couldn't make out what it was.

He couldn't figure out what was wrong with his brother. He'd been a bit depressed, and it was showing, not as much as when he had arrived home, but could tell it was getting worse little by little. He often caught Ed looking around whatever room he was in when he thought he was alone, or thought no one was looking, as though he was searching for someone who might emerge from somewhere.

Al hadn't the chance to ask him about it since most of his time was spent with Izumi, showing her the book he'd gotten on the other side or training with her. By the time he was done training, Ed would be so exhausted he couldn't make a sound other than weak groans. Also, he spent some time with Wrath, trying to figure out whether or not some 'Dante' person was still alive or not. Probably not, they'd concluded.

Whenever Al did get to talk to Ed was in group conversations, and all he'd be able to do was inform Ed of how things in Resembool were going. Winry missed him, Rose was working to rebuild Lior, and things were relatively peaceful nowadays. Ed would also tell Al the stories of those four years they'd spent together that he'd forgotten. It wasn't ringing a bell, but at least he had a clear picture of what had happened.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that Ed was trying to avoid this at all costs. He had to know what was wrong.

XXXXXX

**Central City, 2:30 P.M..**.

When Fuhrer Bradly had disappeared, control had been handed to the Parliament, and they immediately set to work on ceasing the war, working on peace treaties and giving the Ishbalan's their land back. Which meant a lot of paperwork for everyone.

No, it meant _so much_ paperwork that it physically exhausted anyone who was put to the task of signing it and/or sorting it.

Particularly one unit.

"Man...I wish Mustang was here..." A voice weakly groaned from underneath one pile of papers.

"Same, Havoc." Came a deeper voice.

"He'd burn all this paperwork to a crisp..."

Fuery pulled himself away from his mountain of documents and straightened his glass, looking at everyone. All had collapsed onto their desks face-down and were looking tormented at the inhumane workload they still had to get done. He worried that the drool coming out of the corners of their mouths would damage the papers. Despite the fact that he hated the amount of work, they would get in trouble if the papers were actually damaged.

"Uh, guys, you might wanna' wipe your mouths."

"Can't lift head...too tired..."

"Need sleep..."

The door opened, and then shut. When the voice of a woman, strict with an underlying threat, spoke up, the men shot upright and got back to signing the papers.

"I hope you four aren't slacking off."

"Not at all Lt.!" Havoc said, making an exaggerated and flourishing signature on one paper, which looked amusing considering the fact that he was sweating nervously.

"Yeah, we were just...examining the papers closely, looking for flaws!" Breda added. Falman got to work on his paper without another word.

Hawkeye sighed, setting her bag down and sitting at her desk.

"I swear, if there was ever a unit that was laziest, it would be you guys."

"Oh come on, Lt., we've been at this for days! Why can't Mustang come and do his job?"

At that, Hawkeye narrowed her eyes, making Breda jump.

"I told you before, the General's not feeling well as of late. He needs rest."

At that, the men shut their mouths and got back to work. They'd heard about his eye, and his recent depression. It wasn't too bad now, but anyone could see that it was getting worse as time went by. Apparently, it'd gotten to the point where he was reluctant to use alchemy.

And they couldn't help but feel Ed's disappearance had something to do with it.

Their afternoon went by slowly, the only sounds being the scribbling of pens, and the occasional snore, which was immediately followed by the click of a gun, and then scrambling to wake up fully. Nonetheless, by the time their shift was over, the crew was ready to fall over with exhaustion.

"Headache..." Havoc groaned.

"At least we got this week's workload done." Falman added, standing up and stretching.

"I say we go out for a drink or two!"

"I'm seconding that!"

Riza chuckled softly as Breda and Falman whooped in agreement, pulling off her work uniform jacket. Well, even without Mustang or Ed in their midst, the crew hadn't changed much. They still complained about work, made bets about Havoc's many failed dates, and went out drinking.

Somehow, the normalcy in her life, as normal as it got, at least, was somewhat reassuring to her.

Hawkeye tuned out their chatter as they made their way down the halls of Central HQ, filled with other officers turning in for the day. She should probably stop by Mustang's apartment to check on him, tell him that his unit missed him and his snapping fingers, possibly try to persuade him to come join her on her day off. He needed to get out of the gloom of his apartment and breathe in some fresh air. It'd be good for him.

She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice that the rest of her unit had stopped short. They were standing atop the steps at the entrance to HQ, frozen solid. Riza looked at them oddly after recovering from bumping into Breda.

"What's going on?"

Their only response was to point, and as Riza circled their stiff bodies, she could see their gaping mouths.

Upon looking down the stairs, her expression imitated theirs, though due to her well-practiced way of not showing emotion, it wasn't as exaggerated.

Ascending the stairs was Alphonse. Riza had seen him back in his normal body before, courtesy of some pictures that Sheska had gotten from Winry, but the person right behind him was the cause of their shock.

There was Edward Elric, alive and well.

He had grown a few inches, from he looks of it, and was slightly taller than Alphonse. Adorning him as his usual clothes from his days traveling the country, and his hair in it's trademark braid, only it was a lot longer.

By the time the two boys had reached the halfway point of the stairs did the crew finally react.

"Holy..."

"I-I can't..."

"CHIEF!"

That seemed to have caught Ed's attention, for his gaze jerked up from Al's towards them, as the four men hurried down the steps towards him. Riza smiled, and followed slowly.

By the time she got down to their level both Al and Ed were getting pats on their back and shoulders and being pestered about Ed had been all this time.

"Fullmetal, you're alive!"

"Geez Chief, we thought you were a goner!"

"Where've you been?"

Ed managed to brush their hands off, and Riza could see he was smiling. He looked weary from traveling, obviously, but still smiling.

"OK, OK! I'm alive, alright?" The alchemist chuckled.

"Oh man Ed, we thought we were never gonna' hear from you again!" Fuery laughed.

"Where ya' been all this time, Chief?"

"It's a long story." Al told them, managing to free his brother from being encircled by Mustang's crew.

"What are you doing back here then?" Riza asked Ed, who simply shrugged.

"Eh, I figured I might as well properly retire from the military to get them off my ass for good." He told her. "Otherwise, Colonel Bastard's gonna' have a field day with insulting me after being deprived of it for five months."

Ed seemed to noticed when aforementioned Mustang's crew visibly deflated, and Al was the one who had the sense to ask what was wrong.

"The General's...not feeling well, as of late." Riza sighed. "He's been depressed."

"Mustang...depressed?" Ed's voice obviously told her that he did not think those two words went together. At all.

"Yeah, he started acting like that a few weeks after you disappeared." Falman told him.

"He's hardly shown up at work since." Breda added.

Ed looked at Al, and the boy did likewise. Riza sensed one of those unspoken conversations go between them that one could associate to close siblings. In all her years of seeing Ed and Al come to and from Mustang's office, she had often seen long negotiations fly between their locked gazes within seconds. This one took about five seconds long, but it was definitely worth a good hour of talking. They both nodded.

"Can we go see him?" Al asked, a bit hesitantly. Riza blinked, but nodded.

"S-sure."

Ed bade goodbye to the rest of Mustang's crew, who were still dead-set on heading to the pub, and followed Hawkeye down the steps.

She thought he looked a bit nervous, for some reason. Maybe for his superior officer's well-being...

XXXXXX

**30 minutes later...**

Al wanted to believe that Ed was only going to visit Mustang so he could get the former Colonel's ass in gear and sign Ed out of the military, but that was difficult to believe when he saw genuine concern appear on his brother's face as they approached Roy's apartment.

Al knew that despite everything, Ed did have some underlying respect for his superior, and to hear that he was depressed on his behalf was enough to have him worried. That seemed a bit normal for his recently changed brother.

Riza was the one to knock, calling inside quietly. There was a muffled response which Al immediately placed as the Flame Alchemist's voice, even though he had never heard it before. Hawkeye opened the door, and walked in first, then Ed, then Al.

The black haired officer was sitting by a window, where the light of sunset was leaking in, looking away from them and holding a recently emptied plate in his hands. He was wearing military pants and a simple white shirt, as though he'd tried to get dressed and go to work but gave up halfway.

"General, you have visitors." Riza told him. The man turned, and his single eye widened at the sight of the boy standing between Riza and Alphonse.

Ed looked shocked, too, but that was probably because of the eyepatch covering his face. They started at one another for a few moments, before Ed seemed to compose himself and smirked at Mustang.

"Colonel Bastard, nice to see you again."

Roy seemed to blink, and then a similar but slightly strained look of teasing appeared on his face. "That's Brigade General to you, Shrimp."

Ed popped a vein, and Al had to restrain him as he tried to rush forward to strangle him. Roy chuckled softly, setting his plate aside and walking over to Ed, obviously still towering over him.

"So, where you been?"

"Places you couldn't even begin to imagine." Ed growled at him through gritted teeth, his eye twitching. "I suggest you take about five steps back."

"That's not very specific, Fullmetal." Roy told him, decidedly not moving away from the blonde youth. Al thought he looked kinda tired, like something had happened to put him in this depression, but obviously, that wasn't holding him back when it came to teasing his brother.

Ed jerked his arms out of Al's grip, but didn't make a move to brutally kill Roy. He crossed his arms and glared up at his superior.

"The other side of The Gate is far more technologically advanced than we are, they don't have alchemy and they run by the laws of physics, now can you get your ass out of this apartment so you can sign me out of the military for good?"

Mustang's composure changed from teasing to a bit down, he placed his hand on the eye patch, which made Ed looked confused.

"I'd love to, Edward," Roy sighed, and looked down at him. "But I can't face my men right now."

"Why not?"

"It's complicated." Obviously saying no more about it, Mustang turned, picked up his plate, and started for the kitchen. Riza placed a hand on Ed's shoulder.

"We should go; he needs this time alone."

Ed scowled, swatted her hand off his shoulder and stormed for the door, Al and Hawkeye right behind him.

"Brother, that may have been-"

"Actually, Al, that's the most lively I've seen the General in a long time." Riza told him, a bit grim-faced, making Ed's pace slow to match her's.

"So what's wrong with Colonel Bastard?"

"General." Riza corrected him. "I think it's the fact that you disappeared, combined with the loss of his eye and recent flashbacks of the Ishbalan war that's causing this."

"I guess that would make sense." Ed sighed, obviously bummed out that he didn't get Mustang to sign him out. "How long do you reckon it'll be?"

"Who knows?" Riza groaned. "He started coming to work less and less, and now, he's just stopped showing up for about a month." She frowned down at Ed. "I can't tell you the details of what he's going through, but it's going to be a while before he's back on his feet."

"Great..." Ed muttered.

"You two should go back East." Riza told them, escorting them out of the apartment complex. "You have people waiting for you at home, Edward."

"I know, I know..."

Riza waved to them as she headed back to her own apartment, leaving Ed and Al to walk back to the hotel they were staying at. Al looked over to Ed when they turned the corner.

"You OK, Brother?"

"Yeah..." Ed sighed, and trailed off, apparently lost in his own thoughts.

For once, Al couldn't read them.

XXXXXX

**Two days later...**

The familiar sight of sloping green hills and farmland was reassuring to Al, and Ed, it seemed. Houses dotted the landscape before them as they hopped off the train, carrying their luggage and waving to the conductor, who blanched at the sight of Edward. Obviously, it was weird to see him again.

"Home sweet home..." Ed breathed as they both started down the hill on the dirt roads. His voice sounded bittersweet to Al, and it would hardly be surprising.

He really wished he could remember those past four years he and his brother spent together. It seemed unfair that Ed should bear the burden of it all. And he seemed to be carrying more burdens.

On their trip back to their hometown, Al had finally managed to catch something Ed would mutter as he slept on the train rides.

He wasn't sure what the word began with, but it ended with 'isa'. That was weird. Maybe it was something on the other side, or someone.

It was worrying to him. He wanted his brother to be happy now that all the crap he'd been hearing that he and his brother had been through was over for good. Why couldn't be happy?

Al couldn't muse on this for long, for the Rockbell household came into view, illuminated in a lovely way under the midday sun. Den was sleeping on the front porch, and perked up at the sound of footsteps.

Immediately, the dog started barking and soared down the household porch steps, practically flew across the ground and tackled Ed to the ground in a fight of joy. Al started laughing.

"D-Den, hey, easy!" Ed laughed, trying to sit up as he was covered in licks and nuzzles as the dog continued to bark happily.

Al tried to shoo the dog off of Ed as the front door to the Rockbell household opened.

"Den! Den, you shouldn't-oh...my...god..."

Ed managed to look over the overexcited dog towards Pinako, who's pipe had dropped out of her mouth to the ground as her expression remained in complete shock. The blonde alchemist shot her a grin as he allowed Al to help him up.

"Hey Granny!"

"Oh all the stubborn, bullheaded people I know..." The short woman murmured, stepping down the steps and hurrying over to Ed. "You are the worst out of all of them, Edward Elric."

"Nice to see you too, Granny."

The elder woman was about to step forward to give Ed a much deserved (and probably much hated) embrace when a flying object of gray went flying past her head. The projectile hit Ed square in the forehead as he let out a surprised and pained grunt. Al jumped.

"BROTHER!"

He watched Ed fall on his back with a yelp. It was ten seconds later before he shot up and glared at the girl storming down the steps of her porch to him.

"WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO, KILL ME?"

"How many times," Winry growled as she got closer, but her composure was getting less and less angry and more and more relieved the closer she got. "How many times have I told you...to call...f-first..."

Al could see Ed's anger abruptly melt as he got up, sheepishly opening his arms as Winry collapsed into them, crying softly and squeezing Ed tight.

"You're home you're home oh God you're _home_..." Was all Al could catch in one long breath that Winry let out before her voice was lowered to incoherent babbling.

"I'm sorry, Win." Ed chuckled softly, patting her head as he pulled her back, smiling. "I'm home then, OK?"

"Y-yeah." Ed pulled back his hand, and then Winry seemed to notice that was still automail.

More importantly, it wasn't _her_ automail.

The sound of metal coming in contact with a human skull resounded through the

Al seriously worried about the amount of brain cells Ed would lose when Winry was through with him.

XXXXXX

"Does everybody wanna' kill me when I finally get home?" Ed muttered to himself as Al placed bandages on his dented and slightly bleeding head. A vein popped as, once again, Pinako twisted his prosthetic arm at an uncomfortable angle just to get a good look at it. Winry shot him a half-glare and a half-smirk from where she was flattening pie crust dough with a roller.

"Only those that you anger, Ed."

"I'm actually impressed with the design." Pinako commented, not paying attention to the current subject. "It's simple, yet efficient and clearly didn't need as much surgery to install. In addition, the receptors for the nerves-"

Al finished patching Ed up, and, tuning out the Rockbell woman's chattering, leaned down to pick up Ed's knapsack from beside his fake leg, brought back with him from the other side.

"Brother?"

"Yeah?"

"We should go bury Dad while the sun's still up."

Ed nodded, and Pinako abruptly dropped Ed's arm, and Winry seemed to freeze in shock.

"...Hohemheim's...dead?"

Ed nodded at the elderly, short woman, taking the knapsack from Al and pulling out the container of ashes.

"Yeah. He wanted to be buried beside Mom, you know?"

Pinako nodded slowly, taking a long drag from her pipe before exhaling slowly.

"I hope he's happy, where ever he is."

The slowly setting sun was illuminating the graveyard by the time they finished filling in Hohemheim's final resting place, beside Trisha Elric. Al watched in silence as Ed clapped his hands and placed them on the ground. A solid rock formed from all the other rocks he'd gathered, and words as well.

**Hohemheim of Light**

**Beloved father**

**1517-1916**

"That'll cause some commotion." Al chuckled slightly, looking over Ed's work and feeling slightly envious. He could use alchemy just by clapping his hands, like their teacher. Al had some gloves with transmutation circles on them, but it wasn't as powerful, obviously.

"Yeah, but I think Dad won't mind." Ed replied. Winry laid some lilies on the grave and turned to the elder Elric.

"So, you gonna' give tell us a story on where you've been all this time?" She asked. Ed shrugged.

"It's pretty complicated, so-"

"Plus, I have to build you new automail." Winry interrupted.

"What?"

"Hey, you brought automail back from another world!" Winry told him as they descended the hill towards the graveyard gate. Al and Pinako hung back as they both bickered.

"So what, you're just gonna' dissect it? HELL NO!"

"This will be payment for building you newer and better limbs, so you'd better be happy!"

"Well, I can certainly say things won't be quiet around here from now on." Pinako chuckled to Al, who smiled slightly.

"Thanks for giving us a home, Granny."

"Well, don't expect it to be free of charge, you're still gonna' have to do a lot of chores around here."

XXXXXX

**2 weeks later...**

It felt so weird, and so right, being home with his brother.

There were no clouds in the sky as Ed watched the sun vanish behind the countryside horizon, leaving the evening colors to fade ever-so slowly into light blue; a vanilla-colored twilight was what he stared at. The shadow of the his body on the hill where the Rockbell's resided was cast far behind him.

He flexed his new automail hand absently. Winry had made it for him, along with a new leg. She had just finished fitting it on him today, not an hour ago. It was done in exchange for dissecting and studying the ones Ed had gotten from his father. Undoubtedly, she would probably morph it's properties with her current design of automail and make Ed model it.

The past two weeks, after he had told the Rockbells of his time on the other side, had been pretty much just been him getting fitted with Winry's new automail. She talked quite a bit as she worked on it, and Ed just tuned her out, spacing out and staring at the wall as he answered with hums and nods.

Time was a sort of blur once more; fuzzed clarity as he lived in a kind of strange half-existence. He had his beloved brother back, yes, but there was another hole in his soul already.

He tried to ignore it, focus on what he had and not what he had left behind him. They were just a memory now; a memory he obsessively focused on every day just to remember them clearly.

Ed had stored the album under a floorboard beneath his bed, in his and Al's shared room. He didn't want to bring them up with Winry, or Pinako, or even Al. They were apart of his past now; he would remember them, but he would move on.

That was easier said than done.

With a frustrated sigh, Ed plopped down onto his back, staring at the multicolored evening sky and wondering if he could see stars before the light faded entirely. The grass was nice and cool under his back, and the summer air was pleasant. Still, it did nothing to temper with the hurt and longing in his chest.

He wanted to see Kisa; he wanted to see her so badly he could taste it. He wanted to hear her voice, see her smile, hold her hand, he wanted it so much.

But she didn't feel that way about him.

It was pretty obvious that she didn't love him back. He had scared her off; pushed it too far. He crossed the line into a place she didn't want to be. Still, it was for the better. They were from different worlds anyways. He owed it to Al to return home.

Still, he loved her so much it hurt.

She would appear in his dreams sometimes, her back to him and as real as a ghost. He could never touch her. His touches would pass through her as though she was made of smoke. It prompted him to have less sleep in favor of trying to forget. But whenever he did get sleep, she would come back. The more sleep deprived he got, the more she appeared.

Maybe the pain would lessen as time went by. Time heals everything, after all. Scars don't fade, but wounds can close. He just had to keep going; had to keep pushing onwards. This was just a phase, and he would get better once the worst was over, he knew that.

He chose to leave them behind. And there was no way he could go back.

No matter how much he wanted to.

There was the sound of a whine, and Ed glanced up to see Den staring down at him. He smiled at the dog as she plopped down beside him, placing her head on his stomach and looking up at Ed with strangely intelligent eyes. Like she knew the turmoil he felt.

"Hey Den." Ed was surprised by how much his voice sounded choked up, and placed an automail head on the dogs neck, stroking it slowly.

He thought of the Zodiac Tiger again, eyes unfocused as he stared at the slowly darkening sky. He missed her dearly.

What if she hadn't rejected him? What if she loved him back? What would he have done then? So many questions with endless answers.

Ed desperately wished he could move on. That was why he'd burned his house down, right? So he would move on from one mistake and look for a solution. But this was different.

Each day, his longing for his friends and beloved on the other side grew. It was OK, at first, being back here with Al and the Rockbells, but then he truly began to realize that he'd never see the others again.

One side had healed fully, the other was rotting.

Would it even heal one day?

XXXXXX

The younger of the Elric's was sitting on the front porch in silence, watching Ed a slight ways down the hill. Den had joined him not two minutes earlier.

Al knew something was eating at his brother. They were together again; they were home. So why wasn't his brother happy?

Ed had a mask on, of sorts, that he began to see cracks and small fissures appear in. It was fully intact when he had first come home, but now, it was breaking.

And still, Ed would probably not say a word about what was bothering him. That was what was so frustrating about him. He would carry all the burdens himself and never let Al see the full extent of their weight.

Why wouldn't his brother talk to him? Why wouldn't he share his burdens?

He was going to have to confront Ed at one point, he knew this much.

He was jerked out of his thoughts when there were footsteps behind him, and Pinako suddenly appeared at the doorway.

"Al," She said. "You have a phone call."

Sighing, Al walked inside, where the phone sat off the hook in the living room. He picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Al?" He blinked, surprised at the voice.

And worried at the worry laden in it.

"Mr. Curtis, what's wrong?"

There was a long, tired sigh over the phone.

"It's Izumi..."

XXXXXX

**3 days later...**

"What...?" Al felt torn at the weak, mocking glare his weakened teacher shot him from her bed. "Do I really look that bad...?"

"Pretty much..." He heard Ed mutter, and then they both winced when Izumi let out another racking cough, followed by some blood spurting from her mouth. The small boy sitting beside her bed tightened his grip on her hand anxiously, letting out a quiet whimper.

Their teacher was getting worse, Sid had told Al. Both he and his brother had rushed from Resembool to go visit her, possibly one last time.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Ed asked Sid, who glumly shook and took his wife's other hand.

"It's going to get worse, according to the doctor."

"I'm not so weakened that I-" She was cut off by another wet-sounding cough. "-can't still get some work done around here."

"Izumi, you need to stay in bed."

"I can...get up."

"Mom, please..." Wrath whimpered, and Izumi turned her eyes to him, filled to the brim with sadness.

"Wrath, be a dear and go get Mommy some water, please?"

"OK!" The Homunculus boy took off out of the room. Al watched him go before his teacher called for his attention.

"Teacher..." Ed murmured as he walked closer to Izumi. "What's happening to you?"

"I'm dying." She deadpanned with an annoyed look, and Sid helped her sit up. "The doctor tells me I probably won't see the next month."

"But why-"

"I'm paying the price for the crime I committed..." She sighed. "But it will be that boy who will reap what I have sown..."

"What do you mean?" Al asked.

"I don't want to die, Alphonse, Edward..." Izumi told him weakly. "That boy needs me."

Ed's eyes dropped to the ground, obviously remembering something.

"When I killed Sloth, it was him who suffered." Ed mumbled. "I can't imagine what'll happen if he loses you...there's gotta be something..."

"That's the thing..." Their teacher sighed. "He's a Homunculus. Even if I do live a long life, he'll live forever as a child."

"Dante promised to make us human..." They turned at the sound of Wrath's voice in the doorway as the Homunculus boy brought Izumi a glass of ice water. "I wanted to be human again; I wanted to have a Mommy again, but..."

"She lied..." Ed bitterly spat. "It's the soul that makes us human, not the body."

"I want to be human..." Wrath whimpered, taking hold of Izumi's hand again as Sid placed a large hand on his tiny, automail shoulder. "So I can grow up with Mom..."

XXXXXX

Five hours later found Ed and Al sitting at the kitchen table, silently sipping warm beverages. They were silent, and both would occasionally open their mouths, only to close it again.

"What can we do?" Ed finally asked as the clock struck 10:30 at night.

"You said I restored you once," Al mumbled. "With a Philosopher's Stone."

"Yeah, but we don't have one. The only price The Gate will accept is human life."

"What about that book Dad got for you?"

Ed sighed. "It does contain some secrets to human transmutation, but there's no way around Equivalent Exchange in that one."

"But you got back OK."

"It was a one shot deal, Al..."

Al was struck by the despair and bitterness in his voice, leaking through the cracks in the facade he put up recently. Before he could comment on it, Ed spoke again.

"We need something that we can trade..."

There was the pitter-patter of uneven footsteps down the hall; of automail and flesh, before the small Homunculus boy clad in oversized pajamas appeared, looking sleepy but sleepless at the same time.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Al asked him. The boy sat down in one of the free chairs with a long sigh.

"I can't..."

Ed sighed, and looked away, before placing a hand on the boys head.

"We're thinking of everything, but...we need something to trade."

"You could trade another Homunculus with red stones." Wrath suddenly said, to which Al immediately shook his head.

"Wrath, you're not going to offer-"

"No, I mean, the Homunculus with the source of the red stones."

Al blinked, and realization dawned on Ed's face.

"Gluttony's still down there, isn't he Wrath?"

The boy nodded. "Down in that city, yeah."

"That's it then!" Ed stood up, grabbing some paper and drawing an intricate transmutation circle on it; one from the alchemy book, probably.

"What's it, Brother?"

"If we use Gluttony to open The Gate and use the human souls in those red stones as payment, we can restore Teacher's body. Hell, we might even be able to make you human, Wrath!"

Wrath blinked. "But I thought-"

"It's the soul that makes you human." Ed told the boy. "It's just a matter of alchemy to put one together."

"Last time you got this excited, Brother, you lost your leg and I lost my body." Al reminded him.

"Yeah, but this is to save a life, not bring one back." Ed told his younger brother, who sighed.

"It's worth a shot, I suppose."

Izumi didn't think it was. Immediately after they pitched the plan to use Gluttony, she beat them up, and vomited up at least a pint of blood a second later.

She was a lot more willing to negotiate after that.

XXXXXX

**Below Central City, 2:30 P.M...**

Getting Izumi up and out of bed wasn't easy, despite her determination. In the end, Sid had had to carry her to the train station. She recovered her strength from there, but still had to rely on her husband to get anywhere. Somehow, Wrath had managed to worm his way into coming, as well, much to Izumi's displeasure.

Fuhrer Bradley's mansion was abandoned completely, falling apart in some places but still intact in others. Roy had mentioned that a 'little accident' had caused a fire, but it was put out before the damage could reach the library.

The Homunculus boy showed them the way to the still-operational elevator inside, though they had to go down a few at a time. The abandoned and forgotten city was in ruins, thanks to Ed, and one could see all the way to the other end of the huge cavern easily.

Al stood at the edge of this city, waiting for the elevator to come down with Sid, Wrath and Izumi, looking out to the other side. The Homunculus Wrath had mentioned was nowhere to be seen, but even so, just the sight of this place made the hair on the back of his neck stand straight up.

"Alchemy caused all this Al..." Ed told him, sighing. "It really can be destructive. An entire city wiped out overnight just for two people to live forever..."

"But they didn't in the end, though." The younger Elric told his brother. "Dante was eaten, and Dad..."

The two brother's fell silent, and within the next minute, the sound of the elevator could be heard. The last three of their group appeared, Wrath leading the way as Sid carried Izumi and a very, very large chunk of meat.

"So, we all know the plan?" Ed asked as they headed down the abandoned city, towards the huge ballroom where the original transmutation circle he had set up five months away possibly still was.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I like it." Izumi grumbled from where she was being held in Sid's enormous arms.

"I figured you wouldn't." Ed grumbled under his breath.

They found it quick enough, in the middle of the destroyed structure. Al took a deep breath, before he pulled out the alchemy book Ed had brought along from the other side.

"OK, we need to set the bait and change the circle." He said, looking at the circle they would be using from the book. "It shouldn't take too long-"

There was some kind of crash in the far distance, sending up a cloud of dust. Ed scowled, pulling some chalk from pocket and starting to draw new symbols on it.

"We don't have much time!" Ed shouted, running around the huge circle. "Al, give me a hand!"

"Edward, you may want to hurry!" Sid called to him, setting down the meat chunk. Al looked to where they were staring in horror.

Emerging from the dust was...something. It had to be the Homunculus Gluttony. It was huge, pale, had several heads and was bleeding. Only the blood solidified and turned into red crystals.

The main head focused on them. Or rather, focused on Wrath, who glared back.

"I'll distract him!" The Homunculus shouted, running forward.

"WRATH, YOU GET BACK HERE NOW!"

"I CAN DO THIS MOM!"

Al didn't see much of what was going on behind him for a minute, for he was busy drawing the last of the runes on the circle. He finally managed to turn around when Sid and Ed busied themselves with securing the meat chunk to the ground outside the circle.

Wrath was moving way too fast to see, but Al could see heads on that grotesque creature being twisted off left and right.

The younger Elric then saw him again when Wrath ran back after sending the Homunculus into the cavern wall, standing on the transmutation circle next to the meat chunk. Izumi, for once, looked terrified at being unable to do anything as her own child offered himself as bait.

Gluttony recovered, and charged at Wrath, roaring. The Homunculus boy tensed to flee as the monster opened it's large, gaping mouth over him.

In a flash, he darted out of the way, and the hungry human doll bit down onto the meat chunk.

It clearly wasn't gonna' be picky with what it got into it's stomach, for it started chewing on it, distracted as it tried to tear the meat chuck free from being chained to the stone ground.

"OK, bring Teacher over!" Ed yelled to Sid, who immediately hurried over with Izumi. "Wrath, you too!"

"Wait, Brother!" Al yelled as Ed made to run to the circle, hands poised to clap. "What if this doesn't work?"

"Then it'll backfire one me, and it won't cost anyone else's life."

"But Brother-"

"EDWARD, ANYDAY NOW!" Izumi yelled. She and Wrath were on the circle, and the Homunculus was managing to start to free the meat chunk.

Al could only watch as Ed raced forward, clapping his hands and slamming them down on the circle.

There was a bright flash as the runes came to life, and Al couldn't see anything else as white obscured his vision.

Ten seconds passed, and then it faded.

Gluttony was gone, as well as the meat.

All that lay in the circle was Izumi, Ed, and Wrath.

"BROTHER!" Al and Sid rushed over as all three stirred. Izumi was the first to sit up, blinking. Her hand traveled to her abdomen.

"I...it's so easy to breath..." She said, and Sid helped her stand up.

Ed managed to sit up next, rubbing his eyes at the previous brightness.

Then there was a gagging sound beside them. Wrath was on his hands and knees, throwing up red stones.

"WRATH!" Izumi crouched by the boy, while the other three hovered worriedly. It was about a minute later did he finally stop vomiting, and took another minute to breathe.

"I-I feel..." He blinked up at his mother. "A-Am I...?"

He clapped his hands, attempting to fuse the ground with his body, but nothing happened. Ed smiled.

"It worked...I can't believe that actually worked."

They all sat in silence for a minute, trying to catch their breath, before Izumi's eyes narrowed at her son.

"Are you crazy?" She yelled at the boy, who squeaked. "That thing could've eaten you alive! Do you want to give Mommy a heart attack?"

"But Mom, it would've-"

"Don't you ever try that again, young man!" She scolded him, before hugging the now human boy tight.

She wouldn't let go of him, even as they headed back to the elevator, laughing.

XXXXXX

**Five hours later...**

"Geez, you make it sound like that thing was trying to eat you alive." Havoc joked as he took a swig of ale, and Ed sighed, sticking more noodles into his mouth. Al chuckled softly.

"It was..."

Somehow, a get-together celebration dinner seemed in order for their achievement in healing Izumi and making Wrath a human. Said boy was now in the small backyard of Havoc's abode, playing with Black Hayate while the adults ate on the porch.

Al listened to everyone converse instead of talking with his mouth full, like Ed was doing at the moment. Mustang's crew, his teacher, her husband, and the Elric brothers. His attention was fixed on the elder brother at the moment, though.

Ed was looking a bit more strained than usual, by standards of the past three weeks. He'd been looking this way ever since they left the underground city.

_"Why won't you talk to me, Brother?"_ Al wanted to scream at him all of a sudden. _"What's wrong? Why are you so sad?"_

Of course, he would never do that. At least, while other people were around.

"Say Ed, what are you gonna' do after all this is over?" Breda asked him from the other end of the table. Ed blinked at him, and shrugged.

"I dunno'. Definitely getting my ass out of the military."

"We could really use a guy like you though."

"You gonna' go back and marry your girlfriend, then?"

Al felt a jolt run through him at the obvious expression that crossed Ed's face suddenly. Nobody else saw it, but he did.

Despair.

_"What are you hiding? Why won't you share it with me?"_

"What girlfriend?" Ed asked, and Al could detect the off note in his tone.

"The mechanic back in Resembool, I'm assuming." Riza mentioned, turning from her conversation with Izumi.

"She's not my girlfriend." Ed deadpanned, turning his mouth back to his noodles.

_"Stop hiding it, stop hurting yourself...please Brother..."_

"Seriously?" Fuery asked.

"That's boring." Havoc sighed.

"You gonna' keep training with your teacher, then?" Falman added.

"For a while, yeah."

_"Stop it...please..."_

"Al, is something wrong?" He heard Sid ask, but his voice sounded faint to his ears.

"I can't believe how good life's gotten all of a sudden." Fuery remarked.

In plain view, Al saw so many emotions on Ed's face. It hurt...

"Yeah. Mustang's started coming back to work, no more Homuculi, and now Ed's back."

Ed smiled, and the strain in it made Al snap.

"Yeah, life's perfect-"

"DAMMIT, BIG BROTHER! STOP IT!"

XXXXXX

_***~Omake Bonus~***_

_**Question for you all!**_

_**Shigure:**_ Cliffhangers again?

_**Primi-tan:**_ Yup. Also, have I ever told yo guys how much I love Mustang's crew?

_**Havoc:**_ HELL YES, WE'VE MADE AN APPEARENCE!

_**Falman:**_ This calls for a drink!

_**Breda:**_ WHOO!

_**Roy:**_ I would appreciate it if we had a little bit of romance for yours truly-

_**Riza:**_ Sir, it would be wise for you to shut up now.

_**Roy:**_ Understood.

_**Primi-tan:**_ Anyways, I'm thinking about holding a sort of contest regarding this particular fic. But I won't make it official if nobody wants to participate. There will be first, second, and third place prizes, and I have a friend who's volunteered to draw some of the prizes, IF, _big IF_, I get enough people willing to participate, and I'm not expecting many. There's a poll up in my profile where you can vote. Let me know what you think, and I hope this chapter was to your satisfaction!

Also, the FST for EdxKisa was moved to my new Livejournal account, where you can also check out an WIP preview of the next chapter and check out other writings I've done that aren't posted here on FFN. The rules of my contest will be posted on my Livejournal IF I get enough people willing to participate.

Peace, love, and fandoms!


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